Winter 2009
MAKING A
COMEBACK AFTER THE
...raising a people above all limits
Welcome Dear friend, I am so glad you are reading this edition of ‘Harmony’ newsletter. This is an outreach vehicle of our ministry, designed to connect you to godly restoration principles and victorious living in these times of uncertainty. Someone once said, “Life is not a bed of roses”, how true! Like a captain sailing out of a port, people
Editorial Board Ajidagba Rita Anjorin Treasure Besh David Odebunmi Dapo Ogunfuwa Abi Oladipupo Opeyemi Olowosoyo Kunle Ufot Sheila
of purpose set their compass to a desirable destination. Sometimes in life, unexpected winds blow against their cruise plans, detour occurs and in some cases the vessel capsizes. Though detoured, many regain direction and arrive later than planned, in a stormbeaten, possibly battered vessel. But arrive they do! Sad to say,
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many more end up marooned. This may be in form of a frustrated business plan, social relationship, career or childhood dream, etc. Is God ever afraid of messed up plans or messed up lives? No, As a matter of fact, it
HARMONY is a free publica on of Harmony Chris an Centre.
is almost like God’s excellence is more appreciated in such circumstances and His comeback plans for us when things go wrong is amazing. In recent months, people’s
Please address all comments, feedback and correspondences to: Public Rela ons Department, Harmony Chris an Centre 23-27 Kemp Road, Dagenham RM8 1ST, United Kingdom.
finances, and other crucial pillars of what makes, for healthy living have suffered a meltdown . In this well crafted edition .My team and I have put together some of God’s principles that will help break those limits, pick up again from the ruins of yesterday and walk with your head up high.
Email: editorial@hccentre.org.uk Telephone: 020 8597 1110 Website: www.hccentre.org.uk
— wale olulana
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WALE OLULANA
MAKING A
Storm
COMEBACK AFTER THE
was probably around eight when I first saw ‘The Tempest’, a 16th Century classic from William Shakespeare. What had appeared like a beautiful day to sail for King Alonso and his entourage suddenly turned out to be their worst nightmare. I was so shaken and held on tightly to the edge of my seat. I would never have believed that a film with such a chaotic start could turn out to be arguably one of the best stories of romance and restoration. Everyone enjoys some special moments where there seems to be peace and tranquility all around. In such moments, things work as they are supposed to, every expectation no matter how small becomes a
I
manifestation. In those moments, we believe with all our hearts that “Someone out there” is looking out for us! Until the storm hits… As a football fan, I know what it means for a storm to hit a team. One moment your team is on top of the table or near, then one after the other, your key players pick up injuries just when the title race is steaming up! Then as if that is not bad enough, your star striker is losing focus because of a drawn out contract renegotiations and rumours of rival clubs poaching him. Worrying as this may seem, the effect soon wears out, as it is only a game. Life however is not. When the storms of life hit you, it is almost like one is locked in a downward spiral. It is
not uncommon for even the most unreligious of people to scream the ‘G’ word – ‘God, where are you in all these?’ Have you had any of those ‘God where are you’ period in recent times? Imagine a married woman who had been trying for a baby unsuccessfully for over ten years suddenly gets pregnant and from all indications, everything looks good with the baby and mother. Six months into the pregnancy, when the dream seemed nearer than ever. With all plans in place, everyone counting down, thinking that childless days and its sighs long gone. She goes for a normal check up at the doctors’ only for her world to be turned upside down, “sorry, no
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foetal heart beat!” Doctor said. What about when a terminal disease hits a loving family? Or it may be, an unexpected major loss of income. Perhaps for you it’s an injury, or a major scandal. Then everything begins to fall apart like a pack of cards! Initially you would think, it is a nightmare that will soon go away. Then reality hits you. This is not fictional or a dream. It is real and it’s happening to you. Storms hit the very core of what we call “stable”. It shakes our roots, tests our beliefs and stretches our endurance. Since the global economic meltdown, many homes, businesses and careers have been crushed and even Nations are not immuned. This financial crash have had a great impact on people who are now dealing with the aftermath of this drastic situation. And I can almost hear someone ask – “where is God in all these?” Right now, a year is wrapping up and in a few days another year is on the horizon. Only you and those closest to you, would know what the year has been for you. It may have been turbulent, relatively calm, regressive or uneventful; perhaps it has even been a good one. While we must take lessons from our experiences of the past or outgoing years, we must prepare for the years approaching. More importantly, we must prepare to rebuild what has been broken in past storms. A Storm is a disturbance of the normal condition of the atmosphere, manifesting itself by winds of unusual force or direction; or it is a violent disturbance of affairs. Storms could be physical, spiritual, psychological, financial or marital. Whether or not we survive the unpredictable experiences of the storm and how quickly we come out of it, often depends on what we do during or
after the storm. Some of us may have found ourselves in storms as a result of our associations. We may suddenly find ourselves battling for survival, seeking short cuts and es-
“
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No ma er how bad things are, there is always something good you can thank God for and your situa on is s ll far be er than someone else’s.
”
cape routes whichever way they present themselves. I don’t know what life has thrown at you in recent weeks or in
the course of this year. I don’t know even if you have taken the right or the wrong turns at some point and you now feel overwhelmed with guilt or feel you have undergone an undeserved outcome. Whichever it is, may I begin by encouraging you to get ready to praise God’s name. I have found out that anyone can praise God on the mountain top. Anyone can call Him Lord, Daddy, Saviour, Best friend etc when it seems they can understand and trace His dealings in their life. However, the true test of our confessions and commitments are visible when our encounters do not meet our expectations.. Do not limit the faithfulness of God in your lives purely to the good times. As you press in deeper to God beyond the basic, you will soon discover that life is not just a dry and wet season spiritually. Both coexist. No matter how bad things are, there is always something good you can thank God for and your situation is still far better than someone else’s. You can either focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. Focusing on your problems, will lead to self pity, self defeat and ultimately depression. Making you vulnerable and seeking help where there is none. God loves you, not because you do good things, His love is unconditional. You can make a Comeback! This may sound conflicting. But storms are essential to a victorious living. James 1:2 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.” Not all storms can be explained. What is certain is, there is certainly a way out, of every storm. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, had His own share of Storms of life. Hence, if storms, are part of
the package, surely, there must be a way for a comeback.
WHAT MUST I DO FOR A COMEBACK AFTER A STORM? 1. Be thankful, you are still here: The same storm that swallowed others in Genesis 8:20, lifted Noah’s family to safety. You may have lost a lot, rejoice that you are still alive. When there is life, there is hope. 2. Believe the unlimited God: There is no mistakes in him, no impossibilities to His plan! God is the Creator, Builder and Restorer of all things. He can fix broken lives and foundations – if we let Him. He alone has the authority to calm the Storms. Run to Him, surrender to Him and submit to His necessary adjustments for your life. 3. Make a choice to move forward: Your attitude to setbacks goes a long a way in determining how quickly you come back. Your attitude could be your best friend or your worst enemy. It is YOUR CHOICE. Commit yourself to Jesus, and become a member of the “royalty” in God’s Kingdom A staggering success awaits you and unspeakable splendor can be yours. 4. Connect into meaningful relationships: This is not the time for flaky and superficial social, spiritual or business relationships. People are your
greatest asset and could be your greatest liability. Walk with the wise and lean closer to the Holy Spirit as stated in Proverbs 13:20. This is the time to be properly aligned, not remotely connected. God’s blessing flows corporately especially under this kind of situation. Find a Church where your gifts and talents can be harnessed and God’s Words can be ministered with power into you. 5. Find The Positives: Even though this may be difficult to spot in all the negatives around. God will never leave you without a window for a victory song! Rely on God to help you find the hidden diamonds in your debris. Draw up a plan by surveying the situation and articulating your thoughts. Prioritize them into immediate, medium & long term plans. 6. Create a new vision for the future: This will enable you to pick yourself up from the floor. Put the past behind you and face the future boldly. Speak and sing about your vision. Paint new pictures and images in your mind and dare to believe these. A dream is a picture of a desired future. Bury the pain of past failure. Let your mind be dominated by possibilities so that it turns into a fertile ground for Faith to work. Faith and patience are the basis of all miracles and
mysteries. Anything you repeat to yourself over and over eventually becomes a reality. 7. Feel good about yourself: You are not a failure even if you have failed to achieve. Differentiate between an unachieved goal and a failed person! Smile, square up your shoulders and walk tall, let the tongue-wagers wonder. Losers carry a cloud around them and no one would place their bet on one. Look and think like a potential winner! 8. Build Up your Prayer Life: Storms have a way of taking our eyes off prayer. We feel disappointed, weak, bruised and guilty. Yet, prayer is one of the most potent weapons available for man on earth. It is our personal PIN No, to the heavenly supply and strength. Hard work is crucial and a must, but no man can prevail on strength alone. Only the effort backed by God is guaranteed success. ‘Except the Lord builds the city, they labour in vain who builds it’. The amazing thing about God is, the moment you make up your mind to come back, His ears are inclined and His heart is yearning for your prayers. He said, call unto me, and I will answer. What better assurance do we need for a Comeback? See you on the winning side.
HARMONY 5
HCC... 2009 in perspectives The arrival of Harmony Chris an Centre (a.k.a. HCC ) at Concord House in Barking and Dagenham has given the ministry a greater opportunity to impact the lives of the members as well as some people in the immediate communi es. The year 2009 has been remarkably full of life-impac ng events for HCC members and its Guests during the year. The Couples' Forum took on a more vibrant and interac ve dimension. It afforded married couples the opportunity to learn from other's challenges and personal experiences. It a me to discuss real life family issues and feast together. There were moments of tears as deep
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emo onal issues were touched and healed by the power of God. Everyone le these forums fired up with renewed marriages. In summer, there was the Black Hole Event, a film show that gave Concord House audience a cinema c experience. The audience was ushered into a relaxed modern Cinema theater with all its associated trimmings. They were eventually treated to a family film- Fire Proof, with lots of prac cal lessons for all to reflect on. The Children's Day Celebra on and Summer Barbecue was a sizzling experience for both children and adults. With a dance and drama presenta on
by the children. Everyone were treated to a well prepared barbecue, games for children and adult included bouncing castle, table tennis, snooker and lots more. A memorable experience as people had the opportunity to interact and fellowship in a friendly, fun filled and feas ng atmosphere. The Youth Conven on tagged 'Inside Out' was awesome. It was a me when the HCC Youths known as the GSquad (God's Squad) proved to all that life is to be lived from inside out not the other way round. Fashion show, drama, talk show and many other ac vi es were used to drive home this point.
Our Heroes were not le out as we celebrated the UK Remembrance and Interna onal Day, honouring the sacrifices of past and present heroes. It was a unique day as the senior Pastor, Wale Olulana shared with the congrega on that good Counsel, and not military might or armory makes a na on or any individual great. He led the listeners in praying for godly and mely Counsels and counselors for those in authority and in central government. The church sang the Bri sh na onal anthem waving the Union Jack. Later, the flags of 32 different na onali es represented in HCC so far were displayed to celebrate our diversity
and corporate des ny. Various ac vi es including prayers for all the na ons of the world, songs in different languages, na onality fashion show and intercon nental delicacies to grease our appe te. HCC Newham, under the leadership of Pastor Boomy Tokan and his team, celebrated their one year anniversary in November 2009. We marked the event with seven special Seminal held in Youth training centers around Newham. Topics covered included - Pregnancy and Nutri on ; Understanding The Business of Music; Singing and Vocal Training; Jewellery Making; Cooking etc. More than 30 young people were impacted
with new skills and new rela onships formed for further posi ve influence. Many more events fed our curiosity in 2009 which me and space will not permit us to elaborate. The best way to have it all is to be a par cipant of what is happening at Harmony Chris an Centre in either of our mee ng venues: Concord House, Dagenham and in Newham. You can also visit our website for further informa on. 2010 already promises to be a be er year, God has spoken good concerning us, so come with us, we shall do you good. —By David Besh
HARMONY 7
Trustees of
True
Riches
DR TUNDE BAKARE
inety percent of the wars fought in our world today are motivated by the control of the wealth of the world. Societies are usually formed around or close to available resources, but many people are usually ignorant of these resources. The few people that discover them explore them to their advantage and to the exploitation of those who do not know. Two percent of the population of the world today controls ninety-eight percent of its resources, while the remaining ninety-eight percent of the population struggles to survive on the remaining two percent of the resources. Economists tell us that human needs are unlimited but the resources are limited. This is not so, because the resources of the earth are hidden in every human need you can think of or imagine. Whatever inventions or business empires you can see today were all made to meet a need. Wherever there is a need, there is a resource to meet it and wherever there is a resource, the need for it will arise. According to the parable of the
N
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talent in the Bible, the master of certain servants gave them resources in proportion to their abilities, but only two out of three were found worthy of true riches (Matthew 25:14-30). In our days, the number is worse than the opposite of what was obtained then. This is due to ignorance, greed and laziness. If you are ignorant of your true identity, you will be ignorant of your true ability, talent or resources. An ignorant man will always see a need as a problem rather than an opportunity to explore his God given resources. The journey to becoming a trustee of true riches begins with the discovery of your true identity- who you are and what you have. We need divine wisdom, not greed to locate the needs in our society and how we can meet them with our God given abilities. In 1 Kings 3:5, God gave King Solomon a blank cheque to ask for whatever he wanted. He asked for wisdom and that brought him great riches. When you embrace wisdom, you will conduct your affairs in such a way that heaven will have no choice but to rain blessings on you.
For any venture or business to survive, it must be centred on a need. A business man or woman is one who has located a need in any given society. Having located that need, he puts his resources or talent together to meet that need for the benefit of the people, while at the same time making a profit out of it. If your profit does not impact love, it is greed and God does not sustain a system of greed. No one can experience true riches if he does not purge himself of greed and covetousness. If greed is the motivation for what you do, it will eventually take over your life, because “greed has no other assignment than to take the life of its owner”. Anything built on greed will eventually self-destruct and collapse. Faithfulness is a vital virtue in keeping true riches. Faithfulness is required to grow and maintain whatever is entrusted to us, whether big or small. God will not entrust true riches to you if you are not faithful in little. Every money or profit we make in life has in it: one, a part that must be given to God in honour of His provision and power to make wealth (tithe); two, a part to be invested or sown back into the lives of other people who do not have (seed); and three, a part for your consumption (bread). The way you spend money is an indicator of your faithfulness and values in life. We must change the way we do business, ministry or live our lives to accommodate other people who can help us. Find partners and good people who can stand with you. Commanding true riches is not a solo project. The planet is not structured for us to make it on our own. God may give vision to one but the power of execution to another. True riches are promises from God if we seek Him with the whole of our hearts. Matthew 6:32 says ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and every other thing will be added to you’.
The blessing of true riches is added to us when we find the kingdom and His righteousness. It is God’s good pleasure to bless us but He expects our hearts to be focused on Him. The true reason why we should want prosperity, riches and favour should be for God’s kingdom. When we are in total alignment with Him, we will attract blessing and have a lasting heritage. There is no human being without ability or God given resources. God has given talent to every human being according to their ability. When the spirit dimension comes upon our natural ability, we have the supernatural grace to experience increase and profit. There are nine categories of Christian enterprise and nine gifts of the Spirit. These represent what each individual has to meet the needs in the society. An understanding of who we are will enable us to know what we have to trade. The various parts of the human body represent different types of individuals’ God given abilities to meet the needs in the society. These are: HANDS: The hand types of abilities are creative people who use their hands to create unusual things e.g. sculptors, designers, writers, tennis players etc. FOOT: The foot types are outdoor people, always on the move. These are suppliers and contractors, footballers etc. EAR: The ear types are spectators and very attentive people who pick up the vibrations of God in form of news and all kind of information. They are mostly investors and brokers who deal in stocks and bonds. They are prophetic in their hearings. EYE: The eye types are visionaries and dreamers who make something out of nothing. They see potential in junks and spot things others don’t see. NOSE: The nose is the bridge that connects the eye to the mouth.
So also are these types of people. They are wheeler dealers, who smell deals afar off and love the hunt. They can navigate well and are people oriented. THROAT: These types of people do not just mutter, they sing very sonorously. They are singers who can bring down the presence of God and feed your soul through their voices. MOUTH: These are highly persuasive people with the ability to carry people along and convince them. They are orators and motivational speakers, salesmen, newscasters, politicians etc. HEART: The heart types are very passionate people. These are carers, nurses, compassionate workers etc. HEAD: These are co-ordinators with the ability to search. They are policy formulators who conceive concepts. They make good chief executive officers, as they think things through. Many of these types can be combined abilities in a person as long as they are naturally given to you by God. His blessing will come upon your natural ability. Pursue God and He will entrust you with silver and gold to meet your needs. This is the key to wealth and true RICHES. Our aim however, should be to save human lives and souls. All that God has given to us is for this purpose. When we do this, we will become Trustees of His riches, and we will spend from Jehovah’s Pocket. God bless you richly.
HARMONY 9
by WALE OLULANA
V{tÜtvàxÜ THE SECRET PATH TO SUCCESS
“Oh yes, he knows his job alright, but you cannot trust or rely on him”! And with that comment, the opportunity went to another person! Have you heard such comments before about someone being considered for a promotion or a business offer? I have seen this many times. They occur in moments when people’s character – not their C.V.; not their faith; not their race; not their academics etc . But simply, their character determines whether they stay or break the limit to their next level. I have seen many beautiful ladies walked past gentlemen, who proposed to their better mannered but less attractive friend. You cannot separate the future of a tree from its nature. The nature of a tree determines the fruit it bears. An orange tree cannot bring forth a mango fruit, neither can a pear tree bring forth apple fruit. Mat 7:19 – Every tree that bringeth forth not good fruit is hewned down and cast into fire. This means that absence of good fruits will terminate any great destiny. The future is dashed because it is not bringing forth good fruits. Hence, it is your nature that determines your future. Your habit determines your habitat. It is nature that separates a well
10 HARMONY
dressed Chimp to a well dressed man. Having a successful future is not a product of chance, but a task that has to be consciously worked at. This is why character is crucial. Character is the building blocks with which great futures are built. Many people are excellent in their field of endeavour, but almost every opportunity to rise higher passes them by, why? They lack the character required to match the aspired new position. Character is not a gift, it is a choice. You have the personal responsibility to cultivate a good character. The quality of your character is the foundation of how great your future will be. No matter how well God’s hand is upon an individual to succeed, it will take good character for the individual not to jeopardise their own destiny. It takes good character to walk in God’s favour. Daniel, Joseph, David & Ruthjust to mention a few people in the Bible. People who had God’s favour with them in difficult circumstance. But each of these people worked it out with sound character. On the other hand, Samson was man predestined to rule and reign with power. His bad character however, led him to a shortlived tenure. Character is a combination of mannerisms or attitudes built over time.
These are either attitudes towards God, towards authority; towards life; towards people – known or strangers; towards work and so on. Someone once said, attitudes determine altitudes! How true. Every new year, I see a lot of people set goals. They want to achieve something better than the previous year. They want to finish a college degree, a professional qualification they had abandoned, they want to serve God better, buy a bigger house; get a new job etc. Very few people set goals of improving their character. 2 Pet 1:5-10 – says amongst other things, add virture to your faith. Virtue means character. As we open a new chapter in 2010, my prayer for us as we aim higher, is that we will improve in Character, drop off old unproductive mannerism, drop off loftiness and pride. Embrace the process that builds a better character for Renewed Strength. For more of
“
Character is the building blocks with which great futures are built.
”
these, come with us to the next Service – every Sunday at 10 a.m.
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RONKE OLULANA
Building up Your Child’s
he importance of self esteem in all human beings can not be over emphasised, this is especially true with children as it helps to provide the confidence required to be successful in life. The role of parents in the attainment of self esteem in a child’s life is crucial as the result could either be positive or negative. Self esteem or self worth is an accurate perception of oneself and others based on the truth of God’s word.
T
Helping to develop children’s self esteem begins with love and appreciation. We should endeavour to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses in a positive manner. While showing love, refrain from providing them with everything they ask for by balancing their importance. Children should be taught to be humble and respect all human beings regardless of background, race or colour, thereby developing healthy relationships in the society. As parents we ought to, make ourselves accessible, say what we mean and mean what we say, amongst other things, teach them how to handle failure, criticisms, and bullying. There is a tendency that children might lose their self worth, search for love elsewhere, and live ‘performance trapped’ lives if they are not properly guided. The points raised above are not exhaustive, however as parents we should put our trust in God, as it is only through Him we are able to raise a child successfully and build their self esteem.
Self
Esteem
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HARMONY 11
HARMONY CHRISTIAN CENTRE
ONE CHURCH TWO LOCATIONS DAGENHAM Concord House 23-27 Kemp Road, Dagenham RM8 1ST United Kingdom Email: admin@hccentre.org.uk Telephone: 020 8597 1110 SERVICE TIMES: Sundays: 10am - 12pm Fridays: 7pm - 8:30pm
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the home of the restored people! ...raising a people above all limits