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God always has a plan...
VOLUME 3: ISSUE 1
Dearly beloved, Our message is coming to you today during this period of global economic downturn. The world has seen suffering like never seen in decades. Companies are closing down, people are losing their jobs left right and centre. It is easy to say today that life is harder than it was at the same time last year. However, the only thing that is constant is that God is always in control.
PAGE 4 - WHY DO WE CELEBRATE EASTER?
Several times in the Bible, famine was recorded. There was one during the time of the prophet Elisha that was so bad that people were eating their children. However, God still showed up. In less than 24 hours food became so cheap that everyone had in abundance. Then during the time of Joseph, God used the revelation of the famine to save him and also save the world as he prepared for the Famine hence saving the world from absolute scarcity.
Andrew Adeleke EDITOR IN CHIEF
Yemi Adeleke EXECUTIVE EDITOR
PUBLICATION TEAM Kunle Falodun
The bottom line is that God always has a plan in all this. Never lose hope, keep looking up, things will work out for our good especially for believers because the bible said, all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.
PAGE 5 - KAKA - I BELONG TO JESUS
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Kunle Eboda
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Olaolu Sodeinde
ADVERTISING DESK DISTRIBUTION
Moji Adesanya SINGLES DESK
Sylvia Okuku TEENAGE DESK
We hope we have been a source of encouragement to you in today’s dark world. If we have been please, write to us at praisereel@houseofpraise.co.uk; also write to us for any suggestions, contributions or enquiries. We always look forward to hearing from you.
PAGE 8 - UNDILUTED FAITH
Oyin Farinloye SPECIAL PROJECTS
Olaoluwa Aluko TESTIMONIES
In this edition...
Seun Ojo NEWS
Adesola Sanyaolu CHILDREN DESK
Ibukun Adebayo CAREER
Kunle Ogunde HEALTH MATTERS
Ronke Ideh FEATURES
PHOTOGRAPHS Soji Adeyi/Kunle Eboda ADMINISTRATION Lanre Joda DESIGN & PRINT www.ccdgroup.co.uk
It’s the Easter season once again, however we have brought you articles that deal with contemporary issues in order to further educate, entertain and encourage you. All your regular columns are here, and we have delved into the world of football to see a rare relationship between the beautiful game and Christianity. We have brought you an interesting article on mental health. This is one area many people lack knowledge. Like we keep saying, Praisereel has come to you free of charge. Please pass it on once you’ve finished reading it. We are praying constantly that the magazine will touch your life specially and deposit something special there.
Praise Reel IS THE PUBLICATION OF RCCG HOUSE OF PRAISE. 3 HERRINGHAM ROAD, CHARLTON, LONDON, SE7 8NJ WWW.HOUSEOFPRAISE.CO.UK
Until I see you again, May God keep you, bless you and give you testimonies.
TEL: 0208 293 3730.
Pastor Andrew Adeleke
EMAIL: PRAISEREEL @HOUSEOFPRAISE.CO.UK
EDITOR IN CHIEF
PAGE 9 - BEATING THE RECESSION …THE GOD WAY
PAGE 11 - MENTAL HEALTH
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE EASTER? Easter has changed, especially in Europe, it has become the public holiday where Easter eggs are shared and gifts are shared. There is nothing wrong with eating eggs or sharing gifts, however, Easter is not about these things. Easter is about the story of mankind and the sacrifice of the Son of God to save it. It’s about the suffering endured by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, His blood that was shed and the stripes that he endured all because of the love of God for mankind. The Bible says in John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but gain everlasting life”. Easter is not a time to mourn, it is a time to celebrate, it is not a time to mourn the fact that Jesus died after being nailed to the cross, but to celebrate that he defeated death and rose on the third day never to die again. It is a time to remember that our sins have been paid for by the Lord Jesus. It is a celebration of hope, hope that we can live again. The living Christ tells us that there is hope. The presence of the Living Christ tells us there is still hope. When Jesus died, many cried, the disciples were scattered, even Peter returned to his long abandoned profession of fishing, taking some disciples with Him. When Jesus returned however, joy returned and hope was raised. HE DIED FOR MY SINS What did Jesus die for then? He died for our sins. The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23. Every man born of a woman had sinned and no longer merit the glory of God which he preordained all of us to have due to the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, the Bible further said that the wages of sin is death. This means that every man or woman who remains in sin already has a signed death warrant. Sin brings confusion as it separates the maker from what he made, the inventor from the object, it separates God from man, and man no longer receives the guidance he needs to operate effectively on earth. It is like buying a car and not taking it to the
authorised mechanic, you may never be able to use the car optimally. The Bible says in Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all”. THE HOPE OF GLORY However, when Christ rose again, hope for mankind, sin was defeated for ever. All we have to do is believe on his name and we shall be saved. When Thomas beheld Jesus, though he doubted before, he was changed forever; John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. AT EASTER This Easter, we must allow the living Christ to change us. You must allow Christ to take over and allow him to give you eternal life. What has died in your life, as Christ rose from dead, he will bring it to life. Will you ALLOW Him to live through you? Easter means hope. It means there is hope for you and me. Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples, He was judged by His own people, He was condemned and then crucified, he died a painful death, they cast lots for his garments, yet He rose again. Our lives can be changed by grace; Ephesians 1:18 - The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. With God all things are possible, celebrate Easter, and celebrate the gift of eternal life.
Andrew Adeleke IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CHRIST, WRITE TO PRAISEREEL@HOUSEOFPRAISE.CO.UK
I BELONG TO JESUS
THE KAKA STORY by Kunle Falodun Many football fans around the world were popping their eyeballs when the latest money bag in the English Premier League, Manchester City Football Club announced that they will be bidding for the services of an AC Milan player last summer. It was not the fact that they were bidding for Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, popularly known as Kaka that was the shock, it was the staggering amounts that was being mentioned that got the attention of the world. Even non football aficionados took notice when Manchester City bid about £135 million for the services of Kaka and offered to pay him a total of £500,000.00 a week. Kaka, was born on April 22, 1982 in Brasilia, Brazil. His family moved to the city of Sao Paolo when he was seven years old. He started playing football with a local youth club and it was here that Sao Paolo, one of the top Brazilian club sides discovered him and took him on at the tender age of eight. He was offered a professional contract at fifteen and made his senior appearance in 2001, scoring 12 goals in 27 appearances. AC Milan, one of the biggest clubs in the world signed him from Sao Paolo for about Eight million Euros in 2003. AC Milan owner, Berlusconi was famously quoted as calling this fee peanut. However, the Kaka story is not that simple. Just before moving to Milan, Kaka suffered a career threatening injury. He was almost paralysed due to an incident that occurred at a swimming pool. In an interview with the UK Sun Newspaper, he said “It was a time in which I learned you have to give your best every single day because the next day you might not be able. “The doctors said I was very lucky, that I could have been paralysed. But I think it was God — He saved me from something worse. “I had gone to visit my grandparents in Caldas Novas in Brazil and I slipped on a swimming pool slide. When I fell into the water I hit my head on the bottom of the pool and twisted my neck, which caused a fracture of a vertebra. All I knew was that anyone with a broken neck would be disabled for life. The doctor told me I would not be able
to play for at least three months, and then they would be able to tell if I was going to fully recover”. “But after two months the injury had healed and I was able to resume my football career. That was when I knew God was looking after me and that He was on my side.” Since this time, Kaka’s belief in God has become legendary the world over. He wears a tee shirt with an inscription boldly written “I belong to Jesus” under his jersey, which he famously revealed after winning the champions league with Milan to millions watching on TV around the world. The fact that his tithe also goes to the church straight from his account is also not a secret. He is one of the highest paid footballers in the world at the moment and had won the World player of the year award in 2007. A former world cup and Champions league winner, Kaka had won the greatest prizes in his profession. The man who likes to call himself an evangelist was once reported to have appeared in an advertising campaign of the Billy Graham organisation in Brazil which reportedly led to millions turning to Christ, healings, deliverance from demonic oppressions and many life changing testimonies. So when Man City came calling, Kaka said he prayed to God and God who directs his life told him NO! At a time when it seems money can buy anything, Kaka’s message is clear; I belong to Jesus! He stayed put in Milan.
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news from around
THE world by Seun Ojo
RECENT MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the leading killer diseases, especially in the third world. The socio-economic impact has proved very costly to these countries through loss of productivity and reduced gross domestic product (GDP). HIV is the pathogen that infects its host and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the pathological manifestation of the disease visible about 10 years later. HIV is a retroviral microorganism that uses its host DNA to increase in number; by incorporating the genetic make-up of its host with its own genetic make-up. This in essence makes it rather difficult to treat. Treatment is very costly and a real strain on the health service therefore cost effective therapy is needed. Drugs that target the replication or growth of the virus at various stages are currently in use. These are called anti retroviral drugs. A recent advancement in medicine
has highlighted a therapeutic avenue for cure known as gene therapy. Gene therapy allows the body’s immune system to kill the virus thus preventing AIDS unlike the anti retroviral drugs that limit growth of the virus. The gene therapy studied involved a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant individual, of which there are very few (1-3% in western population) into the HIV infected patient. These HIV resistant individuals lack a gene that prevents HIV from entering the host’s white blood cells (CD4 T lymphocytes). The logic behind a bone marrow transplant is to deplete the HIV infected patients immune system and replace with a cross matched donor who lacks the gene (CCR5) that confers protection. The bone marrow is the site of haematopoiesis or formation of blood cells. Although theoreti-
cally feasible there are associated disadvantages with this procedure, for example depletion of the immune system significantly increases the likelihood of infection and there are too few HIV resistant donors. This recent approach has generated significant interest in the field of immunotherapy and perhaps taken us a step further in finding a cure for HIV- AIDS. Having said this, there still remains the fact, abstinence is the best approach to avoid HIV-AIDS and biblically, unless in marriage we MUST refrain from all sexual activity.
MUSLIM MAN WHO FOUND CHRIST BUT MAY LOSE ISLAMIC FAMILY His first recollection of salvation started with the film Jesus of Nazareth. After watching this epic portrayal on the life of Jesus, this young Muslim boy was reduced to
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tears, even going on to describe the emotion as ‘never had anything have such a profound effect on me’. The film brought about questions on the faith he was born into and an understanding of Christ’s death for all mankind. He described that night as terrifying, both for the encounter and the fear of disappointing his family by rejecting Islam. Nonetheless he carried on with the routine of praying 5 times a day to prevent any suspicion. It then dawned on him why he had to bow to Mecca? Indeed why? He thought to himself. Since Christ died for us ALL and he’s present everywhere, why this symbolic act in Islam? At that point, he realized he was not the same person anymore. Why can’t I pray to God spontaneously, why does it have to be at specific times of the day? Is God not Omnipresent and always there to listen to us? The questions kept coming. Several of these questions were being answered through the knowledge of Christ’s encounter with him. He realized it was not the balance of good and bad deeds that determined if one goes to heaven but rather by HIS grace and mercy. Things were beginning to make sense about previous conversations with his Christian friends, for example the personal relationship with Jesus, the love for everyone regardless of religion. He was overwhelmed with the feeling and eventually told one of his teachers who shared the gospel with him and prayed for him. He accepted Jesus that day and became born again. Word got out and his parents eventually perceived what was
going on. It caused a rift in the family. How could the son of a prominent Muslim family in the community turn to Christ? It was practically unheard of in the Pakistani community. After some years his dad found letters of prayers and support from his friends and as you could imagine that was the last straw. His father raged with anger and began to verbally assault him, even saying he would prefer if his son was dead than partake in the so called Christian ‘cult’.
to him that the global economic meltdown would continue for seven years.
He described it as such a harrowing experience that has left scars till today. Although he gets on with the family in an amicable way, he is scared the family will disown him if he fails to agree to the Islamic tradition of arranged marriage. Despite this, he still says ‘I still do not regret changing my religion, because for me it was impossible to ignore the calling of Jesus’.
The RCCG House of Praise confirms the visit later this year of popular evangelist scholar and son of veteran Evangelist and healing Minister; the legendary Oral Roberts. “We are proud to have Richard Roberts with us this summer”, says Pastor Andrew Adeleke, the Senior Pastor of the RCCG House of Praise. “We are looking forward to his visit with great enthusiasm and believe his visit will be a great blessing to our church and the city of London” He concluded.
“Despite the gloomy economic state worldwide, those who are righteous, faithful in giving their tithes and offering will prosper,” he said. CULLED FROM: WWW.TRIBUNE.NG.COM
HOP TO HOST RICHARD ROBERTS
Richard Roberts was the second President of the prestigious Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has been voted President emeritus by the board of regents of the school. With a powerful healing anointing on his life, he is a highly sought after speaker and very popular in the United States and beyond. The meeting has been fixed for May, 2009.
GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS WILL LAST 7 YEARS - ADEBOYE
For more details visit www.houseofpraise.co.uk or call 02082933731
THE global economic downturn will last for seven years, the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare, has predicted. Pastor Adeboye, at a three-day prayer meeting of the Apostolic Conference of Pentecostal Church leaders in Nigeria held at the RCCG, Redemption Camp, near Lagos, Nigeria, said just like the famine which took place in Egypt in the days of Joseph, the global financial crisis would persist. Pastor Adeboye, sharing the revelation during the meeting, which he hosted, stated that it was revealed
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The Bible says in the book of Hebrews 11: 1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report”. Faith is the attitude of a winner; it is that one quality that a Christian cannot succeed without. Jochebed (Yahweh is glory) a woman found in Exodus 2:1-10, was the mother of one of the greatest figures in the Bible; Moses. She came from a godly background, born of the family of priests and married Amram, who is also of the house of Levi; a priest. Shortly after Moses was born; Pharaoh issued a decree that all newborn baby boys of the Hebrews be killed. Though afraid, she did not panic. Through faith she succeeded in keeping Moses alive and subsequently preserving the salvation of Israel. Many lessons could be learnt from the life of this extraordinary woman;
SHE WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL AND CREATIVE Creativity can only come when you are thoughtful, especially during difficult times. She did not have an easy time, either during pregnancy or after delivery. As soon as she discovered the baby was a boy, the power of divine creativity and strategy came upon her and she found a great way to hide and save the child. Only faith could have made anybody think straight and strategically in such times.
SHE WAS VERY IMPACTFUL Life is not well lived if it leaves no impact. You have been created to make impact in the lives of people around you. You must start making an impact from your immediate environment, by affecting the lives of your children particularly, biological or not. God has placed someone’s destiny into your hands; you must take this responsibility seriously. Jochebed raised three distinguished future leaders of Israel in Aaron, Miriam and Moses.
SHE WAS BOLD AND DARING A fearful woman could not have done what she did in saving her child. She overcame her fears with her strong faith in God. We must learn from the wisdom and faith exhibited by Jochebed as it was her faith in God that gave her courage to first stand up to Pharaoh by not surrendering her son to be killed but instead she hid the baby for three months determined that such a beautiful baby will not be killed. She did not allow worry to paralyse her; rather she sprung into action with courage. After she realised it was getting increasingly difficult to hide the child, she got a papyrus basket, made it as comfortable as possible, put the child in and then placed him on the Nile.
SHE SAVED OTHERS THROUGH HER FAITH This woman’s actions preserved Moses, whom God used years later to deliver Israel. Her actions also prepared Moses for a future leadership role as he was trained in the household of the King of Egypt, granted the upbringing befitting only a prince. This was quality training that came handy when he had to lead a whole nation on a long journey through the wilderness.
SHE WAS HIGHLY FAVOURED Faith will bring you favour. God honoured her faith and favoured her by arranging for the child to be picked up by pharaoh’s daughter who then asked for a Hebrew woman to help her nurse the Hebrew child she found and Jochebed was the Hebrew woman chosen to nurse her own child.
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SHE EXERCISED UNDILUTED FAITH The scripture says He will not allow you to go through more than you can bear. Know therefore that whatever difficulty you are experiencing is a temporary thing. “There hath no temptation taken you but as is common to man; God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it” 1 Corinthians 10:13. Beloved, though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil. Jochebed triumphed through faith. Have faith in God. Yemi Adeleke
BEATING THE RECESSION
...THE GOD WAY by Andrew Adeleke At this period of uncertainty and economic downturn, many reasons have been attributed to the problems that have occurred. In fact right now some of the most hated figures in the world are the Bankers. In the past highly respected, these people have been blamed for the worst economic downturn in the world in many years. Many are bitter, as companies have been shutting down, jobs are cut, production is low and banks are more unwilling to lend than ever. Property prices have tumbled heavily in the past 12 months or so. All in all, the statistics are alarming. This situation may even make you wonder if there is a God, and why has he allowed all this to happen? There is however a God and He is as real yesterday as He is today and will be forever. A recession is nothing new, just like a natural disaster or the man or woman that died everyday at one corner of the world. Everything has been programmed by the master programmer Himself. He created all things and laid down the rules by which the world should be run. WHY THE RECESSION There are two angles I would like to look at the cause of the recession from. The first is that God made the world, and like all manufacturers, he gave a manual, his own manual is the Bible. This was to be the rule book for operating the planet. But man, especially in the west have thrown the manual in the trash can and instead have made up their rule book. When you
throw the rule book out of the window, one day very soon, the equipment will malfunction, and you may not be clear on how to fix it, neither will you be prepared for problem. Secondly, God has a purpose for all things; the Bible says all things work together for good. In the Biblical days, they had recessions at several periods, from the days of Abraham to Elisha, the Bible recorded several famines. However, one thing that was common to all the famine is that, God ends up being glorified either through the extraordinary blessing experienced by a believer, or through a significant miracle. Isaac for instance sowed during a famine and the bible recorded that he reaped a hundred fold. God can use the recession to get the world’s attention. The King sent for Elisha during the famine in 2 Kings Chapter 6 out of desperation.
seek Him and His peace, try Him and see if He will not give you the peace WHAT TO DO God ultimately has the answers to all problems, and the current economic downturn is another. The key to surviving during
these hard times is to TRUST IN GOD. If you don’t who will you trust in, the government, your bank, your employer, your estate agents? Have they not all failed you during this period? God wants you to trust in Him. He said draw unto me, and I will draw unto you and Prophet Isaiah said God will keep in perfect peace those that depend on Him. Why don’t you trust God today, seek Him and His peace, try Him and see if He will not give you the peace. This period is also the period for us to concentrate on what is important and make heaven our real treasure house. Many people have lost their life savings in the world today; many killed themselves when the stock market went down. This is because all their treasure is in the world, no matter how hard the economy is, if your treasure is in heaven, then you will be safe. However, even during this time; some believers are experiencing an increase, like Isaac. Someone in my church recently told me how they bought several houses during this RECESSION. With God all things are possible! Andrew Adeleke
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TO: ALL SINGLES SUBJECT: A LETTER TO SINGLES FROM: MOJI ADESANYA
Blessed Ones, Glad that you made it to 2009... It’s already three months old and yet 2008 seems like yesterday and yes our father gave us the opportunity and we must be obedient children who would rejoice and be glad in it throughout. Just want to remind us and encourage us to keep holding and moving on, it isn’t over yet. Don’t forget blessed one, "Your vision is your future”. Abraham’s story says it all, what you can see is what you can get. God said "Write a vision, make it plain that he may run who sees it, though it may be delayed, it will yet speak and come to pass”. Practice writing it down, the moment you think it, learn to write it down. Dearest, do not negotiate your destiny for anything, no matter what, do not give up hope. Give everything away, but HOPE. Put your life in the hands of the One (GOD) who gave it to you and you won’t miss it. (Sometimes or even most times it will be rough, but don’t worry, it's because HE is taking away the rough edges, just like a carpenter fine-tuning his work. My Father in the Lord, Pastor Andrew Adeleke will always say "A man who stops dreaming is dead”. Let your dreams be bigger than you. It is time to stop day dreaming and start actualising your dreams. Look beyond where you are now, for you are more than that place and what you see. If no one encourages you, encourage yourself (David encouraged himself in the Lord). Speak good and positive things to yourself always. Let your dreams be something that will be possible with God ONLY (Mat 19vs26). Something that will bring you peace, contentment and most of all please God. If your dream and vision can easily be achieved by you or a human being like yourself, then you have not started dreaming big. If that human being is cut short or taken away,
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what will you do? Depend only on God who never dies and has all the access to true success. You cannot afford to fail, but you may have failed, please don’t stay there, get back up and try again, you must realise that there are so many destinies tied to yours. Many People are waiting on you. Behold the face of God, seek Him, try your best to be diligent and let integrity be your watchword. Integrity preserved Job and the devil was disgraced. Make God proud of you, like you would want to be of your children, do unto others what you want done to you. Don’t keep malice or bitterness (FORGIVE AND FORGET). Yes you can forget because if you claim to be created in God's image, then you can FORGIVE AND FORGET. It is a choice you just have to make. Even if events bring it back to your memory once a while, chuck it back by force. If Jesus comes or you die in that state of mind, I can assure that He will not listen to your excuse of "Who is wrong or right". There is nothing that we have that we have not been given, always remember that what you have is not yours; God gave you for a reason, so do please ask Him? As one of my HOD's will say... "The closer you get to God, the bigger He becomes" God bless you, see you on the winning side (i.e. 2010 ) but if Jesus comes before then see you in heaven, hopefully your mansion will be next to mine. Study the word of God daily and most importantly tell someone else about the love of Christ, This is the major reason we are living. God wants us all back to Himself like it was in the very beginning. Have a Fruitful 2009! Your Sister Moji Adesanya
mental health overcoming the stigma by Kunle Ogunde
Let the facts allay your fears about this common transcultural illness Mental illness is a psychological or behavioural pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is more than expected as part of normal development or culture. One in four people will have a mental illness in their life time. It is not an indication of our strengths or weaknesses. People with a mental illness can experience problems in the way they think, feel or behave. This can significantly affect their relationships, their work, and their quality of life. Having a mental illness is difficult, not only for the person concerned, but also for their families and friends. Four in five of people with mental illness in UK feel isolated. The stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems serve the biggest barrier to social inclusion, making it difficult for them to work, access health services, enjoy family life and participate in their communities including church activities. What causes mental illness? The exact cause is not yet known for certain but involves changes in our brain chemicals. However we know that many factors work together in causing Mental illness including biological, psychological and environmental factors. • Biological factors include our genes (heredity), infection especially in childhood (e.g. bacterial infection), brain defect or injury. Most importantly are faulty genes but these still need an interaction with other factors for mental illness to develop. Mental illnesses, just like physical illness may run in families but many develop mental illness without a family history • Psychological factors such as emotional, physical or sexual abuse especially in
childhood, an important early loss such as loss of a parent and difficulty expressing feelings • Environmental factors e.g. living in poverty, debt, social or cultural expectations and drug abuse by person or their parents Recognising Mental illness There are various forms of Mental illness including Anxiety, depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder (“manic depressive”) and addiction. Also Autism in children and Dementia in Older age people. Early recognition may be difficult. However family and friends are often the first to spot these early changes which often relates to the type of Mental illness. They may withdraw from others, neglect themselves and things that used to be important to them, lose interest, say or believe things that are clearly untrue within their culture and the persons’ usual held belief. With the stigma associated with Mental illness in many cultures and societies the sufferer and their families may ignore the evidence of Mental Illness. Are people with Mental illness dangerous? The simple answer is no. Mentally ill persons are no more likely than others to commit violent acts. Treatment Treatment has changed over the years with the replacement of old Victorian asylum institutions with modern regular wards and development of new treatment strategies and effective medication with fewer side effects. • Self help e.g. exercise, healthy eating, improved sleep attitude CONTINUED PAGE 22
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Luke 7:36-50, Matthew.26, Mark 14:3, John 12:1-8 Rejection comes in many forms, ranging from mild rejection when the waitress says “no” to an exchange on the menu, to the extreme of hearing a spouse say, “I no longer love you, I am leaving you for someone else.” Several women in the Bible dealt with rejection, particularly Mary with the Alabaster box, the woman caught in adultery (John 8:111) and the woman of Samaria (John 4:1- 42). Women from all walks of life still suffer different forms of rejection today, on a daily basis; but our response to that rejection differs. The woman in Luke 7:37 was a notorious sinner in the city. She was in such a mess that Matthew, Mark and Luke did not even mention her name, showing how insignificant she was. Luke actually identified her by her sin! How have you been identified? Although she was a sinful woman, she displayed some important qualities which made Jesus rebuke her accuser. May God rebuke your accusers. Humility Unlike Simon, Mary recognised her indebtedness as a sinner. She admitted her unworthiness and recognised Christ’s worthiness. Like the woman caught in adultery in John 8, she
assumed the position of humility and refused to defend herself. She did not cover her mess. Her position physically was determined by the positioning of her heart. Faith She must have been tired of being used by men, as she was likely a prostitute. She believed what she had heard about Jesus and she had faith that Jesus could do something about her case. Courage and fearlessness Mary took a risk by courageously and fearlessly adding actions to her faith. She could have been stoned or insulted, yet she gate-crashed, ignoring the stares and what the men thought of her. She loved and she gave Love was her motivation for giving. She did what Simon or his servant should have done, after Jesus had travelled the long, dusty road in Bethany. She attended to Jesus where Simon took Him for granted. There is a level of giving of yourself and your possession, that makes God speak up for you. Luke 7:37 says Mary gave oil worth a year’s wage! Can you spend and be spent because of God? Are you a taker or a giver? She was a worshipper You cannot defeat a worshipper, especially when it’s wordless worship. God is about to answer your enemies. In Matt 26:10-13 Jesus answered the enemies of this sinful woman and promised to make her a memorial. “In the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” So be humble, have faith, be courageous, be a lover, be a giver, be an addictive worshipper; and watch God silence your accusers and turn your accusation around!
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Venue: 3 Herringham Road, Thames Wharf, Charlton, London SE7 8NJ Wednesday 1st July - Sunday 5th July 2009
PASTOR YEMI ADELEKE
PASTOR DEVI TITUS
DR RITA TWIGGS
REV. MRS HELEN ORITSEJAFOR
REV. NONNIE MCVEIGH
DR LARRY TITUS
PASTOR ANDREW ADELEKE
ALSO COMING UP
Leading Ladies Breakfast on Thursday July 2nd ’09 and Couples Dinner on Sunday July 5th ’09 P L E A S E R E G I S T E R E A R LY F O R T H E S E P R O G R A M S A S S PA C E S A R E L I M I T E D
SINGLES VALENTINE’S BASH
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NOJ CHOREOGRAPHY
LEFT TO RIGHT- REVD FOLA ACHUDUME, PASTOR YEMI ADELEKE AND PASTOR ANDREW ADELEKE
ATTENDEES OF THE YORUBA CONCERT
DANCERS AT THE YORUBA CONCERT 2009
CHOIR MINISTRATION
PASTOR ANDREW ADELEKE MINISTERING DURING THE NOJ
HOP DRAMA GROUP AT THE NOJ
PARTICIPANTS AT THE SINGLES VALENTINE BASH IN FEBRUARY
SINGER -KELECHI IFY AT THE NOJ
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praisereel
prudence calls ‘reduce wastage’ and ‘invest smartly’ by Ibukun Adebayo Okay, so as the world settles down to a new era of living ‘within’ ones’ means and, in some cases, living ‘beneath’ the means previously accustomed to, the phrase ‘cut your cloth according to your size’ in my mind has been replaced with the phrase ‘cut your coat according to your VISION’, following the recent series on ‘Vision’, delivered at House of Praise, by Pastor Andrew Adeleke. A visionary is described as a ‘far-sighted’ person; i.e. someone who can see beyond the recession and who’s thinking of what to do to reduce the impact of the recession now and also planning for life after the recession. Two prudent things to do during these unprecedented lean times towards achieving your vision are ‘reduce wastage’ and ‘invest smartly’. Reducing wastage is as easy as eliminating luxuries, including £5 a day lunches, and other unnecessary spend such as ‘spraying’, described below, and other cultural practices not fit for the current season. What’s spraying? It’s a practice of sticking wads of money onto dancers’ foreheads at parties. When my brother got married, my daughter returned home from the after-party with over $100 in cash that had been given to her for dancing for 2 hours – not bad eh? Err, before you all rush out and ‘invest’ in new dancing shoes, I’m hoping professional ‘sprayers’ will be keeping their money in their pockets in this season as they realise this practice is not likely to attract an ‘investor of the year’ accolade in this new era of prudence. Admittedly, the Principle of sometimes hard to adhere to.
Prudence
is
At a recent event, everyone was given a token gift of fabric. Prudence screamed at me ‘make a wrapper and top for £10’; sentiments, however, reminded me I tend to look like a skinny tree with a towel wrapped round my head when I wear a wrapper, top and headtie – alas, sentiments prevailed and I was left with an unbudgeted £50 hole in my purse after making a dress instead. Talking about headties, nothing wrong with inviting ladies to buy a headtie for your celebrations, but prudence may suggest you cut one headtie into three – pioneering a new ‘crisp and
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short’ style for this season. How come men get away with popping the same handkerchief in their suit pockets or wearing the same tie or hat at events to demonstrate solidarity whilst we ladies have to dole up a fortune to do the same? Come on ladies, and gents alike – prudence is calling! Okay, enough on the savings side, what about wise investment tips? At all times, but particularly at a time of recession, we need to invest not only in our families and friends, but the ‘love thy neighbour’ command is more important now than ever. What about buying groceries for your neighbours, or sharing your skills with them? Yes, the voice of sentiment might whisper ‘if I teach them, they may get a better job than me’; never mind, if your neighbour gets that better job, there’s a greater reward for you out there. Finally, the last investment you cannot afford to omit is investing in upskilling yourself for the future. This recession shall pass away, and one aim of the prudent should be to emerge with new skills and qualifications to place you in a position of competitive advantage, i.e. when the recession passes away, we’ll all be older and hopefully wiser, not vying with new school-leavers for lowskilled jobs requiring no experience or professional qualifications. Conclusion? Eliminating wastage and investing wisely will empower you to emerge from this recession with your vision intact, if not already fulfilled
MEMBER `S PROFIL E Name Jane O _______ko __nk ___wo _______
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uiz EasAtSePErCIABLLiYbSElLeECTQ E
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When Peter and John went to prepare the upper room for Passover, they followed a man; what was he carrying?
6
What event do some Christians celebrate on Palm Sunday?
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Where was Jesus when he was arrested?
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What was Jesus found guilty of when he was sentenced to death?
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5
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relationships bearing fruit
by Ibukun Adebayo When asked ‘are you in a relationship?’ most people answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ dependent on whether they’re in courtship or not. The truth is, God has blessed us with many more ‘relations’ than we appreciate from before we were born, and we often end up missing out on the benefits of such relationships as we don’t view ourselves in a relationship with any other than our spouse or someone we are betrothed with. The first and most important relationship we have is with God our creator, i.e. Jeremiah 1:5 states He formed a relationship with us before He implanted us in our mother’s womb. Our relationship with God is therefore the most important relationship we can ever have as this started before we were born, and will continue beyond this world into eternal life. Another vital relationship is that between parents and children, i.e. natural, adoptive, and spiritual parents; all essential to one’s spiritual and physical growth. Guess what? Whatever ‘faults’ our parents may have, they still gave us the chance to ‘be born’ when not all babies are afforded such a luxury. I’ll seize this opportunity to plead for ‘forgiveness’ on behalf of any parent that has ‘failed’ or ‘hurt their children’; as I’ve come to understand I can’t make the same mistakes my parents made with me, but I sure have made some mistakes raising up mine; the fact is, most parents, as human beings, will make mistakes – if it takes counselling, praying, fasting; do whatever it takes to let go and let God heal you!Other relations? Some readers have been blessed with brother and sister relationships (including spiritual brothers and sisters), and whilst it’s great to have siblings, many relationships between these are fraught with sibling rivalry. As a mother, one sibling rivalry I’ve had to deal with is two of my boys being born on the same date 6 years apart – any suggestions on how to resolve this will be gratefully received – ‘why on earth did he choose to arrive on my birthday?’ has been a question on the older sons’ lips for many years, and jet black permanent hair dye has failed to disguise the stress caused by this particular issue. Most children grow out of sibling rivalry, but it takes prayer, constant affirmation, and the love of
us parents to nurture each of our children out of rivalry into their own identity, and God’s destiny for their lives, reinforcing Psalm 139:14 to them at all times. Finally, we’ve got the ‘husband and wife’ relationship which is the only relationship where ‘three’s a crowd’, i.e. it’s the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the 2 parents and each sibling and, conversely, the sibling and 2 parents; then, we’ve got the husband and wife who are not a threesome, but a single entity in God’s sight. Ephesians 5:31. Ephesians 5 provides guidelines for the husband/wife relationship, but these guidelines need to be translated into action for a husband and wife relationship to withstand the trials of two persons aiming to become one. I don’t blame celebrities for drawing up pre-nuptial agreements, rather, for the contents of these agreements i.e. if we split, you get the dog, I get the cat, the lawyers get all our money from trying to make our parting as drawn-out, bitter, and public as possible! There’s nothing wrong in drawing up a positive pre-nuptial agreement with your betrothed, or ‘spouse’ if already married – better late than never – i.e. where you agree never to shout at each other, disrespect each other, keep malice, or do all the other stuff that take away from, rather than contribute towards, a fruitful relationship. In summary, God wants each relationship, including ours with Him, to bear fruit, and impact each party to the relationship and others. As you review each relationship in your life, ask yourself one question, is this relationship bearing fruit, is it impacting positively upon the other party and I, and others, and finally…‘what would the other party say about me if asked in my absence’?
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2009
House of Praise
the year of
Fruitfulness join us throughout the year
April 3rd 5th 10th 12th 27th
Otoo Gee Thanksgiving Sunday Good Friday Easter Sunday First Timers’ Buffet
May 2nd
Otoo Gee Leaders’ / Workers’ Meeting 3rd Thanksgiving Sunday 27th-29th Night of Joy
July 1st-4th 5th 25th 26th
Total Woman Conference Thanksgiving Sunday HOP 2009 Summer Outreach Multi-National Day
October 4th Thanksgiving Sunday 9th-10th Men’s Conference 28th-30th Night of Joy
August 8th 9th 10th-16th 26th-28th
Family Fun Day Thanksgiving Sunday Youth Week Night of Joy
November 1st 14th 27th
Thanksgiving Sunday Fasting Starts (21 days) Festival of Life
June 6th
Otoo Gee Leaders’ / Workers’ Meeting 7th Thanksgiving Sunday 21st Fathers’ Day 24th-26th Night of Joy 28th Children’s Day
September 6th Thanksgiving Sunday 18th-19th Princess of Potentials Conference 23rd-25th Night of Joy
December 4th 6th 19th 24th 25th 31st
Fasting Ends Thanksgiving Sunday Christmas Outreach Christmas Carol Service Christmas Day Cross Over Party and Celebration
Venue for all Events: House of Praise Charlton, 3 Herringham Road Thames Wharf, Charlton, London SE7 8NJ Tel: 020 8293 3730 Email: admin@houseofpraise.co.uk Web: www.houseofpraise.co.uk 20
Extracts of sermon by Reverend Fola Achudume at HOP Peckham, January 2009 When mercy and favour comes, a miracle is inevitable. David was relegated to the background in his family, highly irrelevant, a shepherd boy. While his brothers were being measured for great works, and carrying on with dignity in the city, soldiers, men of valour, he was busy taking care of sheep in the bush. However God was only training David for the throne. It was while he was doing what he was doing that he killed a Lion, likewise he killed a bear. These experiences prepared David to be able to kill Goliath much later. David was favoured by God, though he did not even know it then as all he could hear day and night was the bleating of sheep. When a man is favoured, it means there is a covenant of God with the man; however when a man is out of favour, he may die before his time, he may fall into traps and enemies may succeed in their cruel plans against the person. When a man is not favoured, his miracles are postponed and poverty may be the water of such a person. However, a favoured man attracts wealth and attention. A man in favour is precious in the sight of men, and God. When David died, his son Solomon took over and
reigned in his stead enjoying part of the favour of his father. However, unlike David, God took away mercy from Saul. 2 Samuel 16:1 “The Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as King over Israel...” God replaced Saul while he was still alive. God rejected him and took away his mercy from Saul. Compare this to God promising never to withdraw his mercy from David , 1Chronicles 17:13 “ I will be his father and he shall be my son; and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him that was before thee”. What did Saul do wrong then that made him suddenly unfit for the throne? He was in a hurry. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul was instructed by the man of God to wait seven days for him to come and make a sacrifice in preparation for war, but because Samuel was delayed a little bit, and his soldiers were becoming restless, Saul went ahead and performed the duty of a priest, but Samuel arrived as he finished and rebuked him. Never be in a hurry, wait for God. Jesus Christ waited for four days before going to raise Lazarus.
Saul listened to the people and did not obey God completely. God told him to destroy the Amalekites completely; including their livestock. Saul however instead of doing that, kept some of the livestock because the people told him so, on the pretext that they will use them to make sacrifice to God. Obedience is better than sacrifice. These two sins were the most major sins of Saul, yet God did not show him mercy, because he had run out of favour with God. A man out of favour may die in battle. The state of your heart will determine if you will receive mercy from God or not. The secret of David was his heart, a humble and contrite spirit. God was so much in love with him that even when he sinned God allowed him to choose his own punishment. But remember, David refused to kill Saul when he had the opportunity despite the fact that Saul was after his life, he respected the anointing of God upon his head even though God had rejected Saul. From today seek a contrite spirit and a broken heart, seek the mercy of God, this is the only way to the throne.
“Obedience is better than sacrifice” 21
by Sylvia Okuku
Matthew 25:14-30 A man was going away, so he called his servant and told them to take care of things whilst he would be away. To one servant he gave 5 bags of gold, another two bags of gold, and another 1 bag of gold. The servant who got five bags went quickly and invested the money, earned five more bags, the servant who had two bags did the same and earned two more bags. The servant who had one bag hid his. The master came back and asked the servants what they had done with the money. The servant with five bags said “I invested it, now have ten”, the servant with two bags said “I invested it now I have four”, the master said to them come and share my joy, I will let you care for greater things and make you ruler of many things.
Can anybody identify with this? Mary was a gifted singer, but she did not spend as much time practicing and training her voice, she was satisfied with what she had. Sarah was also a gifted singer who spent her time improving her vocals, whilst doing that she learnt how to read music which then helped her to learn to play the guitar, and also the drums. The drums helped her with her rhythm and also helped her with her dancing. In school Mary and Sarah auditioned for the lead in the school musical, which Sarah got. The music teacher said both Mary and Sarah had great voices, however because Sarah could read music and dance already, it would allow her to play the part better. God has given each of us talents, we need to make the most of these talents and keep looking for ways to make our talents better. If you are not prepared to invest in your talent, sooner or later others will not, and your talents will not get developed. So decide to invest in your talents that God has given you. Food for Thought • What are my talents? • Am I making use of them? • What can I do to improve them? ARE YOU A TEENAGER WITH A QUESTION? PLEASE WRITE TO THE EDITOR, PRAISEREEL VIA EMAIL AT: PRAISEREEL@HOUSEOFPRAISE.CO.UK. ONE OF THE PASTORS IS ON HAND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. GOD BLESS YOU AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
• Practical support from family, friends and professionals may be required • Spirituality is now officially recognised as a treatment strategy for Mental illness • Your GP can make an assessment of your needs and offer you appropriate help at the local surgery including information and advice, practical help, counselling or medication • Your GP can also refer you to a hospital team of Mental Health specialists (including Psychiatrists and Mental health nurses) known as the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). Following an assessment they may offer you treatment in the form of medication, talking therapy and other treatment. Most people are now safely treated at home with support from the hospital home treatment team
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Those with a Mental Illness may not recognise that they are unwell. Sadly some who refuse help may have to be treated against their will usually in hospital under “section” of the Mental Health Act. This gives Mental Health professionals the power to offer necessary treatment. With the right treatment most people with mental illness lead a normal life. Where can I get more information or support? Information is available in the form of leaflets, telephone and online support and advice from your local GP surgery, Health Centres and Pharmacist and support agencies such as NHS direct and St. Luke’s Clinic, HOP Charlton.
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life of luxury:
luxurious living from around the world by Oyin Farinloye
Arabian-inspired luxury on the Coast of the Red Sea! The Oberoi, Sahl Hasheesh is an exquisite and spectacular luxury resort located on the idyllic Egyptian coast of the Red Sea. It combines sandstone coloured buildings in state of the art Arabic architecture, lush green lawns and well-manicured gardens with the cobalt waters of the Sea. Set on the sea-front with its own private white sandy beach, this world-class exquisite hotel is merely 20minutes away from Hurghada Airport. The resort features over 100 suites ranging from Deluxe and Superior Deluxe Suites to Grand Suites and Royal suites. Each suite comes complete with a separate living room, a tastefully furnished bedroom and a glass-walled bathroom offering stunning views of private open-air gardens, with sunken marble baths and separate shower stalls. The suites are beautifully designed with Arabianstyle domes, columns and arches, and each suite boasts its own private courtyard for star-gazing or al fresco dining! In addition, the grand suites and royal suites come with a private heated swimming pool, and a raised outdoor pavilion for dining. Staying at the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh can cost as little as £180 per night for a deluxe suite or as much as £900 for the elegant and luxurious Royal Suites. Guests staying at this deluxe hotel can engage in a wide variety of activities. The resort offers a beautiful infinity edge swimming pool which is open from sunrise to sunset and offers a spectacular view of the pale cream beach and the sparkling blue waters of the Red Sea. Swimming and watching the sun set in the serene and striking surroundings of the Oberoi would be a perfect end to a day of
walking along the desert sands or exploring the coral mountains and beautifully coloured fish unique to the region. The Oberoi Spa by Banyan Tree is another alternative for those seeking rest and relaxation. Here, guests can indulge in a range of facials, massages and body treatments which are designed to rejuvenate the body. The hotel also has a fitness club fully equipped with modern life-fitness equipment to help guests keep fit as well as steam rooms and a sauna. Sports enthusiasts can equally make use of the complimentary tennis court or arrange with the hotel concierge to visit the nearby golf course for a fee. Other local activities include deep sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, a desert safari and whole day excursions to Luxor and Aswan, two of Egypt’s great tourist attractions. Dining at the resort is an adventure on its own. The Pergola which is located by the infinity swimming pool offers salads, pasta and light snacks all day, in addition to a breathtaking view of the sea. The Zaafran offers exotic Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine while The Restaurant serves an a la carte menu of Oriental and Continental Cuisine. There is also the option of dining by candlelight in your private terrace, which is available on request. In addition to the soothing interiors and natural beauty on display at the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh, guests can be assured of excellent service from the well trained and charming staff of the resort. So for a luxurious holiday in a peaceful and serene environment, with excellent service, the Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh is highly recommended.
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HE FULFILS THE DESIRE OF THOSE WHO FEAR HIM; HE ALSO HEARS THEIR CRY AND SAVES THEM. PSALM 145:19 AND THEY HAVE CONQUERED HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES EVEN UNTO DEATH . REV 12:10-11 JOBLESSNESS IS OVER
THE HUNTER BECAME THE HUNTED
Glory be to God in the highest, I want to thank Him for His protection, guidance, mercy and favour over me and my family. I want to thank God for blessing me with a good job after 6 months of joblessness in this country. Praise the Lord
A few weeks ago, I wrote the agency that assigned me to my current job that I would like a pay rise. To my surprise, two weeks ago they wrote me that with effective from the following Monday they would be terminating my contract with them, and immediately sent a replacement to understudy me looking to substitute me within days. I cried to God and when the God of wonders replied, the company I am working for refused to let me go but instead decided to terminate the contract with the agency; they sent me to another agency in order to retain me. He is a prayer answering God..
BRO. O. A.
I WAS SAVED BY HIS BLOOD To God be the glory and His mercies endure forever. On the 17th February 2009, I woke up and was about to hold my normal morning devotion with my children. All of a sudden, I felt like I was passing out and losing my breath. The only thing I could recall was that I was saved many thousands years ago by the blood of Jesus. I kept proclaiming the blood of Jesus and about 30 minutes later, God revived me and I am healed by His grace. Amen. To God be the glory, power and honour forever and ever.
HE IS MY HELP
On the 7th of November 2008, I was sitting in court awaiting judgement on 3 charges. My solicitor had told me that I could get up to 18 months custodial sentence. However as Jehovah will have it, the prosecutor did not have much to say, was stammering before the Judge and got her facts wrong. I was eventually given 100 hours of community service. The Lord showed mercy to me despite all. I will forever praise him. I thank God for all the people that prayed for me and stood by me during this period.
I want to thank God for keeping me in my job in particular amongst other things. My job requires that I am able to drive, however during the interview for the job, this was not made clear. On assuming the position, I was given 3 months to pass a driving test and was put under immense pressure to quit the job as well. There were those who felt I wasn’t fit for the job and told me I was too young to occupy that role as it took other people 20 years to get there while I had come in with only four years experience. The Lord however stood by me and despite the fact that I am the youngest, the only black and one of the few females in that job role in the South of England, God honoured me - I have been told I have enough time to do the driving test and they have assured me of their support.
BISI OLOWU
ANONYMOUS
ANONYMOUS
HE IS A MERCIFUL GOD
26
GBENGA ODESOLA
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