Hi
friends. I’m so sorry I’ve not posted anything in over a month. Thing is, I’ve
not been inspired to write anything blog-worthy and to be honest, I wasn’t
really looking to write anything. This time in my Christian Race is a time strictly
for learning, so I’ve tried to avoid teaching. I don’t know if I’m doing the
right thing, but it’s the truth. Anyway, I was giving this some thoughts in the
weekend, feeling guilty that it’s well over a month and nothing new on Temi’s
Race, so I have decided to share with you how I am learning. I hope it inspires
you somehow.
So,
let me start by saying I recently got a new Teacher of the Word. Okay, fine, he
does not know who I am – at all. But he’s become one of my teachers. And we
have something in common – he loves Bro. Hagin too. Anyhow, so some time ago, I
was complaining to Kunle (co-author,
Temi’s Race) on my need to get “Real Food” and he suggested that I went on
the church website of this my new teacher and download some of his free audio
teachings. This I attempted to do, but that time, the church website seemed to
be down. I tried a couple more times --- didn’t work, so I just let it go. Luckily,
recently, a friend, Pastor Ibk, told me again about my new teacher and shared
some of his audio sermons with me, I listened to a few and I was intrigued.
Later, I found out that they had a branch of their church here in Port
Harcourt, the city where I live. So, I began “stalking” their website. I made
some calls and long story short, I found myself in their Port Harcourt branch –
completely off my route… but I made it there. While I sat in the short pew
waiting for service to start that evening, I almost began crying. You know the
feeling – when you’ve been starved for soooo long and then you know that good
food is coming, you just want to cry and laugh and sing at once, but then at
the same time, you’re wondering where is the food… when is it coming? That’s
how I felt. Anyway, fast forward… service started. It started with prayers. Pastor
Ibk already told me that their service started with one hour prayers (in tongues).
So I was ready for that. I however, did not know that I had been invited for a
“Workers’ Retreat”; we prayed in tongues for two hours and half. It was
refreshing. I couldn’t wait for the Word that night… ’cause remember, I said it
was completely off my route. I had to find my way back home through the streets
of highly unsafe city of Port Harcourt. The next day though, I left my house at
6:30AM and went for more Food. This time, I was ready for prayers and the Word
was good. I have not been able to visit them again, but I’ve been stalking
their website. It was on one of my “stalking” moments that I found their “media
room” – lots of teachings. Good teachings and they were free. Free Food? Oh
Heavens!!! I immediately downloaded some and the first I listened to on prayers
was “When We Don’t Pray” and then “Unraveling the Myth of Unanswered Prayers”.
Oh goodness!
Friends, these two sets of teachings have helped change my prayer life. I’ve
always known something wasn’t right with my prayer life. I could recognize
wrong ways to pray and was careful to listen to people praying before saying
“Amen”. But something was off, I knew. Funnily enough, I’d read Kenneth
Hagin’s, “The Art of Prayer” which my
new teacher referenced a lot in his teachings. I think, unlike my new teacher,
what I got from that great book was more of sense knowledge (a mental assent) –
sadly (all my fault)! I should have put the lessons from the book into better
practice, like I did when I read “Tongues”. Gratefully, my new teacher exposed
things in a way that made it all clearer to me. I also think visiting their church
during that Workers’ Retreat was very helpful and timely. It helped kick
start a new level in my prayer life. One thing I liked also was listening to a young
modern day pastor who is so knowledgeable about the Word, and his place in
Christ, take prayers very seriously. That in itself is inspiring.
To God be the glory, my prayer life has improved greatly. These days, every day, when I’m awoken at night (don’t ask me by who), I have learned to discipline myself to choose prayers over sleep. At first, it wasn’t easy and it affected me a little at work; but now, it’s getting better and I’m keeping it together with chewing gums at work. My productivity level is still awesome. Praise God. I’ll get used to it as time goes on. And I won’t give up. No no no. I’ll pray every day & night; even in traffic [traffic has been a blessing to me listening to these sermons, by the way].
Well,
friends, so that’s what’s been up with me in my Race. I found Real Food and
it’s highly uplifting. With permission obtained from my new teacher, I’m inviting
you to the table too. If you’re tired of eating stale bread or finding no bread
at all, check out this link
from Saints Community Church and listen to sermons by my new teacher, Pastor
Chris Onayinka. If your prayer life is as confusing as mine was, please, listen
to these: When We
Don’t Pray and Unraveling
the Myth of Unanswered Prayers. I also encourage you to take some time out
to read Kenneth Hagin’s “The Art of Prayer” and “Tongues: Beyond the Upper Room”.
I trust you’ll not remain the same.
I know
I didn’t tell you anything I learned. That’s on purpose. Go get yours. ***wink***.
Finally
though, let me state this clearly. Please, do NOT base your spiritual growth on
just listening to someone else’s teachings. Please, study the Word for
yourself. Each time I attend a church service, and leave unfilled, I always
take consolation in the fact that I have my own Bible and I always study it. So
as good Bible students, please, study your Bibles regularly and check out
anybody’s teachings with what the Bible says. Don’t just accept anything you
hear, even if it sounds great.
God
bless you.
