Tonight’s session started with a glorious celebration of praise led by Tim Godfrey. He took the congregation to a height of shameless praise of God. The sermon was given by Pastor Poju Oyemade. While ministering to the people on Fearless Thanksgiving, he addressed a certain condition which affects Christians when they are thanking God. According to him, most people praise God with a sense of guilt and transactional condition where their conscience checks if they are in right standing based on their acts.
Reading from II Chronicles 20:22, Matt 4:23-25, and Matt 9:35, he explained how people find it hard to experience God’s power due to their sense of condemnation and guilt. Reiterating on how having knowledge of God’s love and his ability and willingness to help us enable us to worship and praise him fearlessly. “God delights in been gracious to us; his graciousness is displayed in his willingness to ceaselessly help us.”, he added.
Taking accounts of Jesus’s encounter with people, Pastor Poju explained to the congregation how Jesus healed all manner of diseases, cured all ailments and without doubt we know not all of these people are deserving of God’s goodness based on their singular acts. “The nature of his compassion is irrespective of who needs it.”
“As stated in Psalm 103:3“, he said, “God took all our infirmities this doesn’t leave out the ones we incurred ourselves.” He said that most people have unanswered prayers because even while they are praying there is presence of guilt in their spirit man.
He expressed God’s disappointment when his children don’t believe he can help them. “We must desist from a judgemental mindset because the same God who pronounces judgment delivers mercy.” he added.
In Gen. 4:10, Cain, even after killing his brother and been judged by God pleaded for mercy and was granted. We have much more access to God’s mercy through the blood of Jesus in this dispensation of the new covenant.
He used the cases in Matt. 12:15, Matt. 14:14, 35-36, Luke 6:17 to show that benevolence is the attribute of God and his delight is in doing us good.
Using Heb. 10:19, and Col. 1;21, he explained the need to always come boldly to the throne of grace and make the following confession;
“God, I’m imperfect, I have messed up, I know you are my father and do not delight in me remaining in sin, I come to you to receive grace not to return to my unworthy state.”
Bringing the service to a close he explained reasons why our songs and praises to God should be of his love for us irrespective of our experiences, situations, circumstances or predicament.
He quoted Isaiah 49:13 to show that God is instructing us to sing and be joyful. According to him, this is the attitude God expects from us when we come to him. “Our faith works based on our knowledge of the love of God. Never shift away from God’s love for you.”
Before leaving the pulpit that day, he urged everyone to worship God immensely, singing of His redemptive work and a commitment never to draw back.