“About a year ago, we were unable to meet like this in fellowship due to the pandemic that has ravaged the world. It is heartwarming when we assemble like this to worship the Lord rather than to be away from church. I heard about your commitment and love towards the work of the Lord and today, my soul yearned to visit you and the Lord has permitted me to join you. You are a congregation with few members but your zeal for the Lord’s work is great and highly commendable” began the Lead Apostle Oppong-Brenya at the Pataase Congregation.

This was on the occasion of the Lead Apostle’s visit on Sunday 30th May 2021 to share in their joy as they finally have a place of worship through self-help. He was accompanied by Apostle Amos Osei-Du and the District Leaders.

The bible text for the divine service was read from Numbers 6: 24 – 27, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

The Lord bless you and keep…
The Lead Apostle explained that God, through Moses told Aaron to bless the children of Israel and today too He continues to bless us. Not too far from today we were awakened again by the promise of the Holy Spirit-the gift of God. The Holy Spirit is still with us and He teaches all things till the end of age.

“When the Lord created the Adam and Eve, He blessed them with all that they needed, asked them to multiply. He continued to love mankind in spite of their disobedience, let us create man to have dominion of the fishes of the sear, the birds of the air. Since creation God still blesses us with sunshine, rain, air to breathe. He has the power to give and to take. The blessings of the Lord are not only physical; whoever seeks for only material blessings may be disappointed. Let us desire for the spiritual blessing to be filled with the word of the Lord rather than material blessings”.

“The greatest protection we should yearn for is to seek for the word of the Lord and to abide in it. The Lord will keep you when you love your neighbour as yourself. Even in our sinful ways, let us not do onto our neighbour, what we do not want them to do to us”.

The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you …
The Apostle explained that the Lord’s countenance is like a light that shines on us which drives away darkness and also leads us on the path where His protection is guaranteed. He is the one who forgives. When the Lord lifts His countenance upon you, show love to your neighbor also. Let us also be gracious to our neighbour as God does for us. The Lord often guides us with the still small voice so that we do not fall into Sin. If we resist this voice, we will not experience His angelic protection.

The Lord has been gracious to us to receive Water and Holy Spirit baptism and to have fellowship with Him in Holy Communion. These make us complete to be called the children of the Lord.

And give you peace…
The Lead Apostle said peace is a gift from God to man. This peace of the Lord grants us peace even in the midst of life’s challenges. Whoever has this peace trusts in the Lord and also forgives whoever offends him. It is this peace that exists between God, the Father and the Son.

…My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
The Lead Apostle explained that those who bear the name as His children must exhibit the characteristics of who the Lord God is. “Let the greater one that lives in you be seen in your response to the demands of Satan. Let whatever proceeds out of your mouth demonstrate that indeed the Greater One dwells in you. Your utterance to your neighbour, whether good or bad, tells the one who rules your life.” He reminded members about how Jesus overcame Satan by the word.

In conclusion, the Lead Apostle tasked the brothers and sisters to announce their presence in their new building by winning more souls to join them. He asked for the blessings of the Lord for all members and their families.