No Corners Cut, No Pacifying, No Round-About Way

By Lou Yeboah

Why are you surprise about the disasters, famines, pestilences [Coronavirus Disease], and the increasing earthquakes? Why are you surprise? Didn’t I tell you; “Before I winked at ignorance, BUT NOW I command all men to repent.” What part of that did you not understand?  You have provoked my anger! Yes, I’ve had enough of your blatantly disregard for Me. I’m fed up and if you don’t repent, I tell you, you ain’t seen nothing yet! [Amos 7:1-9]. “I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth. I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the rubble with the wicked. Yes, I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, make no mistake about it,” declares the Lord. [Zephaniah 1:2-3].

The Warnings has been issued. The Alarm has been sounded! [Hebrews 10:26-31]. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire. Listen, anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Hear what the Lord says; This I have against you, that you have left your First Love. Repent and return unto Me. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place. [Revelation 2: 4-5]. What a solemn warning. I want you to know that God did not try to reform the descendants of Cain that had no time for Him. He rejected them and ultimately destroyed them in the flood. His complaint of His people was that they failed to give Him the honor and the respect He deserved. They treated Him with contempt and no longer held Him in awe. In their eyes He was no different than they were; and because of that, they were destroyed. God says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My respect?” [Malachi 1:6].  “I have had enough of disobedience and hard hearts. I am ready to render my verdict, sentence and punish. [Read the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel].

Listen, God has conveyed the same message over, and over, and, over again, that He is more than fit to be tied of disobedience and harden hearts and that He’s ready to render His verdict, sentence, people for their rebellious spirit and actions. Don’t take God’s grace for granted. Don’t let the Devil rob you out of the riches of the Lord because of a lack of knowledge. What is the “knowledge” that Israel lacked that led to their oft destruction? It was the fear of the Lord. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them, for the ways of the Lord is right. [Hosea 14:9].

“When I shut up the heavens that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 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 Chronicles 7:13-14]

“But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed [a]in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will beset My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.  ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I have cut off your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall bring back your bread by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied. And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you.” [Leviticus 26].

But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. [John 16:4]

By Lou Yeboah

Well, ain’t no need of wondering… I’ll tell you why… It’s too Dangers to avoid!  Besides the Bible says Jesus is our example in all things. Jesus preaching ministry began with a single line: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” [Matthew 4:17]. For three and a half years of public Ministry, Jesus never stopped preaching repentance. [Matthew 9:13]. All that Jesus taught related to repentance and the Kingdom in one way or another. Even in the last message He gave to the church, it was a message of repentance.

I want you to know that a message on “Sin, Hell and Repentance is a Signpost.” It is an opportunity for you to consider where you are going and to change direction if necessary. While the words Hell, Sin and Repentance may have been dropped out of some pulpits, they have not dropped out of the Word of God. All preachers should preach repentance. Ministers who avoid the subject of repentance are denying and defying Jesus. I am only a messenger commissioned to convey a message from God.  Don’t hate the messenger. Whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, as a messenger of God I am to show people in what way their lives are wrong. And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being persistent and inexhaustible in patience and teaching [2 Timothy 4:2]. For He said to me, “daughter of man, I have made thee a watchman…: therefore hear the Word at My mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul [Ezekiel 3:17-21]. I tell you, ain’t no need of wondering.

The message in the mouth of every biblical messenger was repentance. Every prophet was preaching the same message: “Repent!” Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Joel preached it: “Repent!”  Scripture commands it [Ephesians 5:11].  The question is will you take heed? For the times of ignorance God overlooked; neglected us, gave no revelation, and sent no messengers, nor messages to instruct us, nor to show us our follies and mistakes. He left us to our own stupidity and ignorance: but now He commandeth all men everywhere to repent. That is, he hath given orders, that the doctrine of repentance, as well as remission of sins, should be preached to all nations. [Acts 17:30-31]. As Proverbs 8:32-36 says, “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” For as many as the Lord loves, He rebuke and chastise; be zealous therefore, and repent.” [Revelation 3:19]. “For if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [1 John 1:9].  A message on “Sin, Hell and Repentance is a signpost, behold it!

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” [Deuteronomy 30:19]

By Lou Yeboah

“…You think you can tell me anything and I will believe it? You got me twisted! I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am your Creator! I know your deeds and your thoughts. I know the true intent of your heart [Jeremiah 17:10; Genesis 6:5]. Talking ‘bout “Lord, forgive me, I repent.” Knowing doggone well you don’t mean what you say, because as soon as you are done uttering those words, you are going back to your old ways.  You know it and I know it. You snake! You brood of viper! How are you to escape being sentenced to hell? [Matthew 23:33]. You can’t repent and remain the same. I wish that you were either hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” [Revelation 3:15-17].

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies– I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.  I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed fasts, they have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.  So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Because your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourself, make yourself clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,  Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. [Isaiah 1:11-17] and consider how far you have fallen, because I’m fed up with you! You are a spiritual stranger to me. Your actions do not follow your intentions.  Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. I don’t recognize you as my disciple. I don’t acknowledge you as my follower. When your heart breaks over your sin and deep sorrow engulfs you for what you have done, then I will listened and offer full forgiveness, [2 Samuel 12:13]

I want you to know that God struck Ananias and Sapphira dead because He wanted to teach the church both then and now an important lesson about hypocrisy and deceit, and lying to the Holy Spirit. So don’t you ever think that you are smart enough to pull the wool over God’s eyes. You may be able to get away with deceiving people, but you cannot deceive God. Deception is always detected by God. You better know that you know! Lying to the Holy Spirit and lying to God extremely dangerous.

Do not be like Saul, Nadab and Abihu, and Ananias and Sapphira. Obey the Word of God completely and make your entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom sure [2 Peter 1:1-11]. And why you at it, read [Psalms 2:9-12] a Scripture about vengeance. A Scripture that lets you know what happens when God says “Enough is enough!” It’s a Scripture that reminds us that God is to be feared and revered. It’s a Scripture that lets us know that one day, Jesus is going to look over at His Father and say, “Let me have them Father” and the Father will grant the request of His Son. Judgment will be unleashed on the Earth. Sin will be dealt with.  So if you want to escape the wrath of God: “Be wise!” Lying to the Holy Spirit and lying to God is extremely dangerous!

By Lou Yeboah

“… Wash me through and through. Create in me a clean heart so that I may worship You.  Do it for me, Lord ¬ Change me!” [Change Me – Tamela Mann].

I tell you, we all have to make this our sincere, daily prayer: Oh God, Change me! Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Dig deep in me; show me where I’ve failed and gone astray. Expose my pride, anger, stubbornness and sin. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Transform me into the image of Jesus. For Your name’s sake, Lord,  do in me what has to be done. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen. [Psalm 51:10-12; Psalms 139: 23-24;  1 John 1:9, Hebrews 13:8, 2 Corinthians 13:8].

I tell you, when you become aware of how great your sin is, you quickly realize that you are in desperate need of a God who is greater than those sins. A God who can remove your guilt and forgive you for all of eternity. There may be some of you reading this and you’ve never really considered how much sin there may be in your life. And I get that, because if you haven’t had an encounter with the presence of God, how would you even know? But I believe that the people who are most likely to pray this prayer like Isaiah did are the people who live with an awareness of their sin and an understanding of His grace. If that’s where you’re at, then you won’t be afraid to pray this dangerous prayer, “Change Me Oh, Lord….Make me whole Jesus! Make me over I pray! I’m ready for change. I’m so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I am a mass of contradictions; I don’t want to be, but I am. I preach a gospel of peace, but my life isn’t always driven by peace. I talk about a Jesus who alone can fully satisfy the soul, but I am often not satisfied. I celebrate a theology of amazing grace, but I often react in ungratefulness. And if I rest in God’s control, why do I seek it for myself? Even in moments when I think I am prepared, I end up doing what I didn’t want to do. There is this law operating inside of me. When I step out with a desire to do good, evil follows me wherever I go.  There are times when I feel like a prisoner, held against my will. So, have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love, according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me. I embrace the rescue that could only be found in You.” [Romans 7].

“The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt – a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. [Jeremiah 31:31-34].

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” [Romans 8:1-4].

Praise be to Him always that though we were once “dead in the trespasses and sins; God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” [Ephesians 2:1-5].

Praise be to Him and to Jesus our deliverer always.

Singing: “I know I’ve been changed, the angels in Heaven done signed my name…”  [I Know I’ve Been Changed -La Shun Pace]. “…I’ve been healed, freed, delivered, and right now is the moment, today, I’ve been changed, and I have waited for this moment to come, and I won’t let it pass me by; so I say, I won’t go back, can’t go back, to the way it used to be. No more chains, fear, my past is over…!” [I Won’t Go Back – William McDowell].

By Lou Yeboah

Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a

of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” [Isaiah 6:4-8].

What a precious Scripture. Despite feeling as though he was not worthy, Isaiah responded to the Lord’s call by saying, “Here I am; Send me!” I tell you, every believer ought to have the same heart’s attitude as Isaiah… “Here I am; Send me,” but one of the saddest testimonies in the Bible, which is so true in the world today, is found in [Philippians 2:20-21] spoken by the frustrated Apostle Paul, “For I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” God sought for a man to stand in the gap. To rebuke God’s people for their sins. To stand against the tide of wickedness. To teach the truth in the midst of error. To prevent their destruction by a heathen nation. But no one would stand in the gap…” [Ezekiel 22:30, 31.] God couldn’t find even one man who cared about the injustices being committed in the land, who would stand before God in prayer to make up the gap. How tragic!

I tell you the world is going to Hell! Jesus said that the world would once again become as it was in the days of Noah before the flood [Matthew 24:37-38] because He could not find one man to stand in the gap. “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” [Ezekiel 22:30-31].

God wants to get the truth out to everyone of the coming judgment against sinners; but the gap remains empty. Where are the men and women today who are willing to make a difference for the Lord? Where are the men and women today that are wholly devoted to God? Who will rise up against the evildoers? [Psalms 94:16]. I tell you, God islooking for some men and women today who are willing to live for Him. To stand boldly in the midst of a wicked generation, that will stand for Truth and shine the Light of the Lord. Will you be the one? Will you stand in the middle between God and destruction [hell]? “I sought for somebody!” That same call of God is resounding once again in this hour. “Who will stand in the gap? God desires to bring a Spiritual Awakening to the sin dreary land. He’s looking for a man/woman who will stand in the gap! Will you be the one? If, so tell the Lord, “Here I am. Send me, Lord. I’ll go.”  Like Moses, who stepped between the Lord and His people and begged God to turn from his anger and not destroy them” [Psalms 106:23] and intercessor can make a difference.  Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom of many [Matthew 20:8] tell the Lord, not my will, but Thy will, Oh Lord. God needs you. God has called you. Don’t allow Satan to deceive you. God’s call is a blanket one. Know that no one will escape their responsibilities at the judgment seat of Christ for what they did or did not do about a lost world.

“I Heard the Voice of the Lord Saying, “Whom Shall I Send and Who Will Go for Us?”

“Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; He said, “[Daughter] of man, I’m sending you to the family of Israel, a rebellious nation if there ever was one. They and their ancestors have fomented rebellion right up to the present. They’re a hard case, these people to whom I’m sending you—hardened in their sin. Tell them, ‘This is the Message of God, the Master.’ They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they’ll know that a prophet’s been here. But don’t be afraid of them, [daughter] of man, and don’t be afraid of anything they say. Don’t be afraid when living among them is like stepping on thorns or finding scorpions in your bed. Don’t be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They’re a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They’re hardened rebels. “Only take care, [daughter] of man, that you don’t rebel like these rebels. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” When I looked he had his hand stretched out to me, and in the hand a book, a scroll. He unrolled the scroll. On both sides, front and back, were written lamentations and mourning and doom.” [Ezekiel 2:2-10]

“And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace” [Genesis 19:27-28].

By Lou Yeboah

“… I’m not after the blessings ¬ I’m not after things ¬ I’m after Your presence.  My hands are raised because¬ I surrender¬ After coming to grips with the reality¬ that You love me so much so¬ that You thought I was worth saving¬ You thought I was worth keeping¬ You thought I was worth dying for¬ that You sacrificed Your life¬ so that I can be free ¬ so that I can be whole ¬ so that I can tell everyone I know ¬ Love lifted me when nothing else could have¬  Lord, I tell you, all I want is You¬ You are my God and my hallelujah belongs to You, and You only. So withholding nothing – I Surrender ¬ Everything I give to You¬ I give myself away so that You can use me¬ My life doesn’t belong to me¬ My life is not my own¬ To You I belong¬ Fill me up Lord¬ until I overflow¬ I’m hungry¬ I’m thirsty¬ I’m desperate for You¬ take my heart¬ take my life¬ as a living sacrifice¬ all my dreams¬ all my plans¬ Lord I place them in Your hands¬  Here I am to worship¬ here I am to bow down¬ here I am to say that You’re my God – For You are altogether lovely¬ altogether worthy¬ altogether wonderful to me¬ and all of my days I’m gonna serve you. Wherever you want me to go Jesus, I’m gonna go¬ Whatever you tell me to say, I’m gonna say it¬ I’m gonna move when you tell me to move¬  Have Thine own way Oh Lord¬ Thou art the Potter¬ I am the clay¬ mold me and make me after Thy will¬ while I am waiting yielded and still.”

Oh, I tell you, when I think about the goodness of God, my soul cries Abba Father. Sometimes, I can feel overwhelmed when I realize how much sin and wrong I have done in my life. I think of the time when I rejected what God wanted me to do. I rebelled against His authority. But then I remembered, that “where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more” [Romans 5:20]. Only God has been able to make payment for my sin. Only God has been able to put me in a right relationship with Him. God did this through the death of His Son Jesus on the cross. So when I say My hallelujah belongs to Him ¬ My hallelujah belongs to Him! He is the reason for my being, and He deserves all my love ¬ all my adoration ¬ all my devotion ¬ all my praise ¬ all my worship ¬ all my obedience ¬ my everything. Ultimately, I owe my life to Him.

Tell me, have you every thought of God as generous towards you? Can you believe that when He looks at you with all your baggage, all your junk, all your hang-ups, He says, “I want to be generous to you. I can’t wait to pour out on you that which will make you happy – not because you deserve it, but because there’s something about Who I am that loves to overflow in extravagant ways upon you. He gives us grace – [what we don’t deserve] and extends mercy – [not giving us what we do deserve] – We are indeed blessed by God. How majestic He is – how loving patient, and kind He is. How gracious He is – How he puts up with us and blesses us in spite of ourselves.

I tell you as the Jews were so moved by what the Lord had done in them and for them that they could not contain their praise for Him, I’m too awestruck for what the Lord has done for me. I praise Him because of one reason: He is worthy! You see, God moved in grace and power to deliver my soul from the torment and bondage of my sins. He delivered me from an eternity in Hell and He adopted me into his family when He saved me out of the shame, sentence, and sorrow of my sins.

I tell you, He is worthy. He is worthy of our love. He is worthy of our devotion. He is worthy of our obedience. He is worthy of everything we can offer to Him. Therefore, I challenge you to praise the Lord and to magnify His name. When we praise Him we acknowledge that we are nothing without Him. – we give Him homage, respect, reverence for loving us when we are so undeserving of that love. David said I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. David understood clearly his shortcoming – He knew he was messed up – He knew he was wretched before a Holy God and that his righteousness was filthy – but He blessed God because he recognized that God loved Him in spite of his way.

I tell you, there is no reason in us that he should bless us. He has every reason to justly destroy us. Yet he chooses to bless us and put his name on us and claim us as his own. We ought to praise God for being God… merciful, just, righteous, holy, omnipotent, immutable. It is a prayer of nothing but praise to God. There is no supplication, no request, no petition or plea in this prayer. It is pure unadulterated praise to God. We need to give great consideration to this because He deserves it! 

If you believe that He deserves it, “…Lift your hands wherever you are, and tell the Lord Yes¬ Tell Him, you won’t be afraid¬ You’ll step out on His Word and declare His glory¬ Open up your heart and tell the Lord Yes¬ Say Yes¬ Say I’ll obey Jesus¬ I won’t stray Jesus. This time I’ve made up my mind¬ I’ll say Yes¬ My soul says Yes¬ My mind says Yes¬ My heart says Yes¬ Yes, I’ll do what you want me to do¬ I’ll say what you want me to say¬ I’ll go, if you lead me¬ Yes I will¬ I wanna do your will Jesus¬ I wanna do your will¬ My soul says, Yes!

“…Flowing from my heart are the issues of my heart is¬ Gratefulness…” All I want is You Lord!

Excepts: [You Deserve It – J. J. Hairston & Youthful Praise] … [Worth – Anthony Brown & group therAPY]…[Tasha Cobbs Leonard – You Know My Name ft. Jim Cravity]… [Tasha Cobbs – Fill Me Up Until I Overflow]…  [I Give Myself Away/Here I Am to Worship – William McDowell]…  [Withholding Nothing Medley] [Yes – Shekinah Glory Ministry][Truth in You – Anthony Brown & group therAPY][Grateful (Reprise) – Hezekiah Walker & LFC]

By Lou Yeboah

Talk about starting the New Year off right…..Go back and remember. Go back to the moment when you first met Jesus. Remember the love you felt, the stirring in your heart, the adoration you had for Him? Remember how grateful you were for the forgiveness of sins? Remember, at that time when nothing else mattered only Him? Well, today, God wants you to go back and remember that moment in time. And having that in your memory, He wants you to come back to Him; come back to your First Love, to the place and time in your life to where He was your everything.

For He says, “After all the things that you’ve been through, you should understand Him like He understand you. To love and be loved in return, it’s the only thing that His heart desires. What more can I do? I gave My heart, soul and Spirit to you didn’t I… didn’t I do it. I gave you the love you never knew. I thought that your heart was true. Silly of Me to think that I could ever have you for myself; silly of Me to think that you could ever know the things I do are all done for you.” It’s obvious you don’t love Me as you did at first, look how far you have fallen. You have abandoned the love you had at first – the love that caused you to drop everything to follow Me into the desert. This is the love that captures My heart. So remember, then repent and turn back to Me…[Revelation 2:4-5].

You know, David told himself to never forget the good things God had done. We also must make up our minds to never forget God’s goodness in our lives. Because as [Psalms 107] says, when we forget, it “tests God’s patience, frustrates Him, and makes His anger rise.” I don’t know about you, but that got my attention!  I am convinced that forgetting God’s goodness is a sin. So like David who found he had drifted away from God we too must repent and fervently pray, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit [Psalms 51:12].

Because of all the things we need in the coming days, none is more precious and more essential than the leadership of God upon our lives. So with that in mind, let us as Moses said, recommit ourselves to obedience to the Word of God. Let us refocus ourselves in our relationship with the Spirit of God. And, let us rededicate ourselves to living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. For the greatest investment we can make in this life is a wholehearted pursuit of a deep personal relationship with God. And understanding that it is not enough to just seek God, but to seek Him “First.” Let us not forget God’s goodness!

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. [Matthew 22: 37-40].

By Lou Yeboah

Boy, only, if we would take that stance, how different our lives would be. But naw, we want, “Our Will”  to be done. Well, News Flash! It’s not about “Our Will,” it’s about “God’s Will,” and the sooner we register that the better off we will be.  For thus saith the Lord, “You come into the New Year expecting Me to do for you what you want do for Me. Tell Me… What have you done for Me lately? Have you fed the hungry? Visited the sick? Or even entertained strangers? No! Then why do you bother Me? What do you want from Me? You want Me to give you what you want, while all of the time you have neglected, overlooked, and not even considered my will, nor my work. Well forget about it! If you can’t keep My Commandments, why should I let you inquire of me at all? [Ezekiel 14:3]. I tell you, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. For whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one that gets My blessings. So until you obey, don’t expect my blessings, Period!  I told you, “My New is not Your New in 2020, and I don’t care what man has prophesied to you, until you obey, forget about it! The Great I Am has spoken!”

I tell you, just as Haggai’s message was blunt and he pulled no punches and wasted no words, I want you to know that God is withholding His blessing because your priorities are not right. As Haggai said, “Put God’s house first and He will bless you.” Jesus said the same thing: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”  [Psalms 37:4] says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” 

Understand that the blessings of God as promised to all believers do not materialize automatically. There are some things that God says we need to do to activate His blessings. According to [Deuteronomy 28:1-2] “If we will LISTEN diligently to the voice of the Lord our God, being watchful to DO ALL His commandments, THEN the Lord will set you high above all the nations of the earth, and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.  This is the key to unlocking the blessings of God in your life. [Psalm 112:1].

I believe that every year that God gives us on this earth is to be a year where we are as productive as we can be for His work and as pleasing as we can be for His glory. I hope that the longer you live the more you realize just how fleeting these years are and just how important it is to maximize the potential of each year for being what you ought to be and doing what you ought to do. The truth that obedience to God brings blessing, is the first principle in understanding what it means to be a child of God. Failure to understand this first principle and failure to implement it is to forfeit God’s best  in your life. 

I write this not to condemn anyone, but to remind us all that Jesus who suffered and died for us, expects something from us. We cannot expect to continually take and take from Him and not do something for Him. It is after all, a relationship that we have with Him, and relationships are all about give and take. God wants us to do our part – so He can do His. 

Listen…. Follow… Do…. Blessings Activated by Obedience.  Welcome to the New Year… 2020!

By Lou Yeboah

‘My new is not what people think.’ Then he said. “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”  Tell my people that they are entering a season in which they will be challenged to make the decision as to whether they want to live or die. They have to make up their minds and they have to make it up now because time is running out!  Tell them that they must experience that once for all conversion because then, and only then, will they have the happy, grateful, meaningful life that I have in store for them. And tell them that I am more willing and anxious to do My part – but they must be willing to do their part. So as 2019 end, and they prepare themselves to enter into 2020, they should turn their attention to change, to transformation, and a new life. See I am coming back for a Bride that will be without spot or blemish  and I am warning them once again to get their act together. And let them know that if they become willful and stubborn, and not do their part, they will die like dogs. I have spoken says the Lord!”  [Isaiah 1: 16-20]. Last but not least, let them know that this call to repentance and faith should not be looked upon and considered as a threat but as an invitation.

I tell you, when you understand God’s purpose for your life, it should give you a sense of urgency that motivates you to change – not later, not tomorrow, not sometimes, but immediately! Understand that God wants you to dedicate yourself to HIm and to His work. He does not want you trying to live for Him on the one hand and the gods of Canaan on the other. He wants wholehearted dedication or nothing! That is the clear message of today. If the Lord be God then serve Him. If He isn’t then go ahead and serve whatever has your heart. Whatever you do, stop trying to have the best of both worlds!

As Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign Gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.” [Genesis 35:2]. For, “This is not a time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”  [Martin Luther King, Jr.]  Because the call is now so loud, and so clear; REPENT! Cast aside all idols! Purify your hearts and your hands!

Know that there is a promised curse coming upon those who are not taking the things of God to heart. As the prophet Malachi warns, “And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart…” [Malachi 2:1-4].

2020…. Our allegiance to God is being challenged. Will you renew your Vow to Him today and pledge your allegiance?

Beng confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Philipipians 1:6]

By Lou Yeboah

Tell me, ought not Christians to be different? Ought not we to be distinct, unique, set apart? Then why do we conform to what society wants and do what society wants? The problem is that we don’t want to be different. We don’t want to stand out from the crowd. We don’t want to be perceived as bing odd. But I have you know that Christ was distinct, unique, odd, set apart,  and He called His followers to be like Him. I tell you, as a people of God, we must dare to be different.  We are not called to fit in but rather to stand out. [Romans 12:2] tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. So “Come out from amongst them and be ye separated…” [2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1].

I tell you God is looking for people who would dare to be like Daniel. Daniel had faith and applied works to his faith. He dared to be different in every place he found himself. In every situation, Daniel said, “I am not like the others. There is something different about me. I am in this world, but I am not of this world. I am a child of destiny and I must work on fulfilling my destiny. I am royalty. I am the child of the Most High God.” Daniel dared to be different. The psalmist says, “I am a stranger on earth. All the great men and women in the Old Testament were ‘strangers on earth [Hebrews 11;13].

I tell you God is looking for men and women who would dare to be different. Men and women who have courage and convictions and who will refuse to compromise and conform.  You and I are called to be different from the world around us and we are given practical instructions on how to do this. Paul writes, ‘Let us not be like others. Your lifestyle is to be totally different from those around you. You are a citizen of a different world. You have to learn a new language. You must dare to be different to fulfill your destiny, to maximize your potential, and to excel in life and ministry.

My challenge to you this day is to dare to be different. Dare to be a ‘stranger’ on earth. Dare to live differently. Dare to speak differently.

You know Jeremiah’s ministry required great courage. He had to dare to be different from the prophets around. They were all prophesying peace, but Jeremiah knew that the exile was coming. He was warning the people about the coming disaster. God said to him, “Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word. Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways [ Jeremiah 26:2-3].

However, ‘As soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die! [v.8].

Jeremiah’s response was again very courageous. He said, ‘Change the way you’re living change your behavior. Listen obediently to the Message of your God. Maybe God will reconsider the disaster he has threatened…If you kill me, you’re killing an innocent man… God sent me and told me what to say. You’ve been listening to God speak, not Jeremiah.

Listen, we may not face the same pressure, but the world around us will often dislike us for being different. Do not be surprised or dismayed by such opposition – as Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble.” But take heart, I have overcome the world.’ [John 16:33]

Set Apart!