ABUNDANT LIFE FAITH CENTRE
Editor’s Note
In today’s world, a life of distinction is often associated with affluence. Naturally, most people tend to attach more value to things at the expense of our spirituality, which is eternal. But what if I told you, there’s more to life than what the world has to offer. The word of God reminds us that the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)
In this edition, we seek to turn our focus on the life of the Spirit; a life of separation from the world and one of crucifixion of the flesh – successfully saying no to mental and bodily cravings that are inconsistent with your faith and spirituality. In the life of the Spirit, we submit and fully surrender ourselves to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, as vessels of honour that He fills, equips and empowers for kingdom service (Acts 13:2 NKJV).
When we embrace life in the Spirit, we set ourselves on the course of victory. We tap into the ability to live above the limitations of the world, and separate from all forms of death —sin, shame, sickness, lack, poverty and other bondages. This way of life requires one to set their mind on things of the Spirit. It calls for continuity in prayer and in the word; beholding, as in a mirror, one’s true self. When you find and see the true you in the Word of God, you are transformed into the same image that you see; and it’s a transformation that takes you from glory to glory.
The Word of God reveals to us our true image and identity in Christ, the one in whom we’re accepted, loved and blessed beyond measure. It’s this new identity in Christ that empowers you to disentangle yourself from old and false mental images (strongholds) that condition men to think and live a life of bondage and mediocrity. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 10: 3−5 and James 1:23)
Do you desire to walk in this newness of life, and to manifest the glory of God that causes distinction? It starts by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; followed by asking God to fill you with His Spirit, and committing to daily follow the leading of your born-again spirit who is united with the Holy Spirit.
This and past editions of the Hope Herald are rich with articles and testimonies of God at work in the lives of everyday people like you. The stories therein will renew your hope and stir up your faith. For past editions of the Hope Herald, visit us online: www.abundantlifefaithcentre.org You are welcome to join us for one or all of our weekly services at our church ground: Wednesday, 6:30pm-8:00pm and Sunday, 10:00am-1:00pm.
The Bold and Better Way of Life.
How uncompromising should a believer’s stand of faith in the Word be? Or, how much of the world should a believer be willing to tolerate in his life for whatever reason? Whether you know it or not, your genuine answer to this question is reflected in your everyday life, and it shows in the level of excellence that you are walking in.
Depending on your answer to the above question, some believers may consider you to be an extremist or a fanatic. That should not however bother you. It is what God says about it that counts; and here is His mind on the matter: “A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring” (Proverbs 25:26). Another version of the Bible puts it this way: “Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring is a righteous man who yields and compromises his integrity before the wicked” (AMP).
There is so much that is considered ‘normal’ in the world that either contradicts or is inferior to the standard of the Word of God. For example, to the ungodly, being afraid is perfectly normal. Fear is accepted as a natural thing. As far as the world is concerned, you are abnormal if you don’t tolerate fear in your life or around you.
You hear the ungodly saying things like, “a little fear is healthy”; or “I am afraid I won’t make it”. The unfortunate thing is that, this kind of thinking and talk goes on even among believers whose minds are not renewed to the Word of God. It is not surprising to hear such corrupt talk coming from even church pulpits when God’s Word is so clear about the subject: “…God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7).
When it comes to finances, living in debt, being broke or being poor are accepted as things that you have no control over, and are therefore normal. The same goes with health, sickness, diseases, weakness and accidents; they are all accepted and treated by the world as a normal part of life. When you, however, get into the word of God, you sooner or later find out that does not have to be the case. There is an alternative way to handle your finances and your health: you can handle them in the spirit of faith; and God will see to it that you live above and far from the fear, debt, lack and disease that has the world bound.
You will also find out by getting in the word, that living the way of the word is an option that is available to anybody and everybody. All it calls for from you and me is to be willing to take God at His word and to be bold in doing the word even when it means going the opposite direction of the majority or against tradition.
This is what Jesus was taking about when He said: “…wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.” (Matthew 7:13−14)
So, don’t be a righteous man who gets compromised and accepts to live the ordinary way of the ungodly. Choose the bold and better way of life - “Choose life, so that you and your descendants might live” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Joseph ENYIMU
Mission Week
6th to 11th May
Join saints from the ALFC church family in changing the spiritual climate of our cities and communities with hope, help and healing. Together we can bring lasting change in lives and homes of our neighbours. To register, visit us online: www.abundantlifefaithcentre.org/missionweek
19th May | 11:00am- 1:00pm
Youth Fellowship Are you a teenager or young adult? The ALFC family has something for you! Brace yourself for a session of intimate worship, sharing of the Word and quality interaction in this May 2024 Youth Fellowship Meeting at ALFC church grounds.
PRAYER ALTAR
Do you have a dream bigger than you? Are you faced with a situation that seems impossible in your eyes? Let’s join our faith in prayer agreement for the wisdom to attain your victory. Simply write or email us: prayer@abundantlifefaithcentre.org
Don’t Change! Stay the Course!
As the year progresses, it is easy to drift off from the original plan for various reasons! Sometimes it’s the finances or circumstances that cause you to drift off and by the time we get to the middle of the year, all the plans are a far-off thing.
Two things you will recite in this Year of Performance! Faith and patience! We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 12:6 KJV). Many of us are schooled in the aspect of faith! It is patience that we need to grow in and here are a few things that will help you this year to see performance in the things you pursue.
Keep going back to where you wrote those plans so as to ensure you are staying course! There is no better way to do so!
Ensure everyone involved in your process and path is very well aware of the plans so you are all pulling in the same direction.
Develop a thick skin! Resilience is going to be key if you are to accomplish what you set out to do. The easier path is to just change because things are not going okay. But resilience is for the strong ones. Be strong!
Celebrate every small victory! Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by what hasn’t happened yet and that’s because we are forgetting to celebrate the small wins. It is as we count our wins along the way that we will keep moving.
Modify, improve and customize but do not change the vision! There is a reason why it was your vision at the start! So yes, modify and improve but do not altogether abandon it because it seems to not be working well.
Seek solutions instead of abandoning! No one said it was going to be easy! Don’t throw in the towel because even the next thing you move to will also have challenges! How many times will you keep quitting and starting! Determine this time that you will stay the course and seek solutions until this thing works! See you at the top.
Joseph KIGGUNDU
TESTIMONIES
Nsangi, Kasenge | Winnie recounts how many times they attempted to start a school as a family but were unsuccessful due to internal disagreements. However, at the start of 2024, God, through dreams, revealed that it was indeed the right path. They reassessed their previous intentions and believed God for the school. This time the family reached a unanimous agreement. True to the prophetic word, the Lord intervened sooner rather than later; within three weeks they had met the standards to open a school. They launched the school in January and it is now fully functional. All Glory is to God.
Ngobe, Wakiso | James praises the Lord for divine protection. One Sunday afternoon, as he returned home with his whole family, his car was knocked by a motorcycle. He recalls seeing the men on the motorbike hitting his windshield and flying over his car. Despite the hit, the car’s windshield didn’t collapse inward despite being greatly damaged. James and wife kept speaking life in the midst of the tragedy; and indeed none of them was hurt. The lives of the men who fell over were also preserved. When the cause of the accident was discussed with the motorbike rider, the rider admitted his mistake and agreed to immediately pay for the damages to James’ car. James celebrates the Lord for this favour and the lives of all involved.
Nyanama, Kabowa | Moses thanks the Lord for using him as a vessel of hope. While cutting his hair, he observed that his barber was unhappy, so he engaged him in a conversation and the barber confessed that his wife had been pregnant for thirteen months. Moses asked to pray for the wife which he did. He also invited him and his wife to their home cell in Kabowa. During the meeting, Moses asked his wife and the rest of the attendees of the home cell to pray for this couple. He then told the couple to go home and prepare to go to hospital for delivery the evening of the same day. Two days thereafter, the couple gave birth to a healthy baby girl, the sex that had been pronounced through a word of knowledge. Glory to God!
A Story of Peace
There once lived a very wealthy man who was willing to pay a small fortune to the artist who could best illustrate the presence of peace. Several artists brought paintings of sunsets and quiet meadows, but the man did not accept any of these. One day as he was walking through looking at the most recent attempts, two paintings captured his attention.
One was a painting of a beautiful calm lake surrounded by lush green mountains. The water seemed as still as glass and wispy white clouds danced in the bright blue of the sky. Next to this painting was another with vast differences. It was also a picture of a lake surrounded by mountains, but the strong winds had whipped the lake into a tempest and the dark clouds hovered about the rugged mountain landscape ready to release a downpour of torrential rains.
The audience standing about watched with anticipation to see which one the man might choose to depict the story of peace. All were shocked when he did not choose the first, but instead chose the second. How could such a stormy scene tell a story of peace?
The rich man explained. The first painting was beautiful and peaceful, but it didn’t tell the truth of where peace can be found. Anyone could feel peaceful upon a crystal-clear lake with white clouds drifting across the sky and barely a breeze blowing across the water.
Then he pointed out something in the second painting which everyone else had overlooked. If you peered closely into the mountains of the second, there was a waterfall, and tucked into a crevice of that mountain near the waterfall was a small nest on which a mother bird sat upon tiny blue eggs. The man spoke. “This second painting is a picture of true, perfect peace because it is within the storms of life, we find real peace tucked into the side of God knowing His presence will guard and protect us even in the midst of this world’s storms.”
Source: https://www.creativebiblestudy.com
Prayer of Salvation
Are you yarning for a relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior? It begins with a simple prayer of faith. Here is one you can repeat out loud enough to hear yourself:
“Dear God, I accept your forgiveness of my sins. I believe with my heart that you raised Jesus from the dead for my benefit, and I now declare Him to be my Savior and Lord.” AMEN
