Strings and gongs

Christian || Musician || Artist || music producer

[Strings and gongs @mosesabdul9]

Sound from my heart ❤️

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

REPENTANCE

I think some of you are missing the context of the story, per Luke 15.

The allegation against Jesus was that He received sinners & ate with them. Well, did Jesus think the people making that allegation were righteous & truly didn't need to repent, as they implied? This issue alone should settle the status of the 99 & the possible interpretation. Whoever the 99 were, they were not Angels, since the lost sheep was one of them. And since there are no persons who do not need repentance, the 99 can't be considered to be saved persons. Also, if they were saved, it means, the one sheep was simply a back-slider & not a 'sinner' per se, since it used to be in the flock of 100 sheep, before getting lost. But, the charge was about Jesus receiving SINNERS & eating with them.

Secondly, to insinuate that Jesus did not mean for His interlocutors (The Pharisees & Scribes) to locate themselves somewhere in His response is strained & completely out of pattern, with Jesus. In fact, He would tell a story sometime & the Pharisees would be livid, believing Jesus told the parable "against" them (For instance, see Luke 20:19, but for context read from vs 1).

Thirdly, and this amplifies the second point: Jesus is said to have responded with A Parable. Not 3 parables. (Read the text). Meaning He told a parable containing 3 stories. In fact, you can tell that the lost sheep & the lost coin are clearly the same point being made in two ways. In the KJV, the stories are framed (in vs 4 & 8) like this: "What man of you, having... Either what woman having..." It is in vs 11 that the narrator makes a brief comment to introduce Jesus' telling of the story of the 2 boys.
Since it is one parable, it means each story is supposed to both reinforce & complement the others, & you'd need to consider all three together to get Jesus' overall point.
In the final story, Jesus contrasted the attitude of the Pharisees & Scribes on the one hand with the attitude of the SINNERS, on the other hand. The older brother was so self righteous that one, he said he had NEVER done anything wrong in his dealing with his dad (vs 29), making him the (self)righteous one needing NO repentance. Nobody then, hearing that story, believed he never did wrong. Also, he was ANGRY his brother was home. Wait, was that righteous ANGER?

But more. Fourthly: the allegation was 'this man receives sinners & EATS with them'. The final scene of the 3-stories-1-Parable is the father trying to get the older son to the feast. So, the older son is clearly OUTSIDE the house. This parallels the 99 sheep that were left in the desert, separated from the venue of the celebration. The inference about the 99 is warranted by this last scene.
What is both humbling & indicting is that, just as the father went out to bring the younger boy home, he also went out in the middle of the feast, to bring the older brother to the feast too. The genius of Jesus' story telling here is unmatched. He concluded the parable without resolution. Did the father succeed? Did the older brother make it home? We are not told. We are not told because Jesus is saying the answer to that question would be somewhat "determined" by the older brother (Pharisees/Scribes). Yet, what is clear is the father wants them both at the feast. But, only the younger brother, the obvious sinner, is at the feast when the curtain closes on the parable.
The Pharisees said: "This man receives sinners." Yes. Point however is, all are sinners, & so, if anyone refuses God's diagnosis of their situation, they forfeit God's help. In implying that they were not sinners, these Pharisees forfeited salvation, which those obvious sinners were earger to embrace at the time.
So, there were sinners, there were the self-righteous, & there was The Saviour. But the self-righteous did not accept the one who accepted them & therefore were not at the feast

Jesus' point is: "My feast is on. I want all in, but if you reject me, you exclude yourself"

Could go on...

[Prophet Emmanuel Okeke @PhtEmmanuelO]

I love Apostle @gideonodoma. His messages and teachings are gentle and refreshing to my soul.

When you talk about teachers of the Word, he's honestly one of the first people that comes to my mind.

You want balance? 😄 Just go and listen to him.

If you haven't sat under his ministration, I highly recommend that you do. You'll be grateful you did.

There's just something about the way he presents the Word. It's calm, yet full of conviction, and always precise. He doesn't just teach the Scriptures; he helps you understand the context and the intention behind what was written.

Happy Birthday, sir.

Thank you for your faithfulness to Christ and to His Word. May the Lord continue to strengthen you, increase you, and preserve you for many more years of fruitful ministry.

God bless you, Papa. 🙏

[Nathaniel Bassey @nathanielblow]

Hello !
You might just need this.
Please Read.

When you work with a leader or someone that stretches you beyond your comfort zone, and truly wants you to be a better version of yourself,
You have no idea what God is doing for you.
My late mentor, Pastor Eskor Mfon was never really
a professional musician per se, but was a great worshipper and one that had an ear for good music.

He would come into our choir room after we had spent hours rehearsing. He’d sit, cross His legs, rest his jaws on his palm, close his eyes and listen to what we had done. After a while, he’d shake his head, smile and heave an interesting sigh “aaaaahhhh !”, and then say to us “okay okay well done o, but we can’t give God this kind of worship tomorrow, let’s start again…” And believe me, another 2-3 hours of work…. He’d tell us, “you know we can’t take people to a place we have not been to ourselves…”
He would share scriptures, explain what ministry was all about, then sit with us as we slugged it out.

Anyway, those days would later become the foundation of my music ministry today.

Hmmm, There were days I thought “this stress is just too much” just to lead worship ??? But what did I know ? Poor boy ! My eyes opened one day, and I caught it.

The inheritance I got from him was not money and material things, even though he took good care of us. But the values, principles, work ethic, mind shift, wisdom, spiritual intelligence and understanding, emphasis on prayer, word, purity, integrity, character, excellence etc.

Today I honour him everywhere I go, because in hindsight, He was God sent - To a young man who only had talent, but with very little or no sense of direction.

So, to anyone out there, connecting with this post and perhaps in a similar place, I say receive GRACE to maximize the moment. Learn and glean all you can now, never despise the process, instead appreciate and honour it. For not everyone is privileged to have another man or woman who leave their own thing to sit on your matter, just to make sure you excel in life. It is a blessing !

And in case it appears to be taking longer than it should, may be, just maybe. you are cut out for the BIG TIME. And in no distant future we would be reading your own inspiring story.

But Please note ! Only make sure the person or leader is one that meets the criteria above - I.e, one who truly desires to see a better version of you and wants you to fulfill your prophetic destiny. And Not just one who seeks to hijack your life, control it and put in under lock and key.
Blessings
🙂

[Lekan Olayinka @lekan_olayinka1]

My father, I thank the Lord for you. Thank you for everything you do for us.

Many of us owe what are today to what the Lord has helped you to do over and for us.

Daddy, I love you so much. You have cared for me in every way.

I say happy birthday to you today, sir!!

[Joshua Agunbiade | The Publisher @drjoshagunbiade]

I always tell those close to me that there's nothing special about me. Nothing.

I was treading deep in the waters of classical WOF, ProsGos and on the fringes of Hypergrace when I found him.

I knew that there were issues within the system. I saw the issues in scripture but I didn't know how to resolve them, and daily, there was more ammunition within the system thrown to make it seem like my questions were invalid or something of an unnecessary bug.

I didn't know how to proceed.

Then, I met him.

I bless God forever for the day that Dr Gideon suggested that we invite him for Merismos 2014. It was in that meeting that God told me to follow him.

I didn't know what to expect. I just started following.

By March 2015, just 4 months later, most of my questions were answered. I saw the issues. I saw biblical truth.

Everything I have become in doctrine, ministry, and even in life has been built upon the foundation that he provided.

The other day I said: "I am, because you are" and some started convulsing. Na me know wetin I been de talk.

Thank you for teaching me the bible. Thank you for teaching me to know how to do the bible. Thank you for teaching me to do ministry with integrity Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for stabilizing me when Satan tried to sift me as wheat.

It's another day to publicly celebrate the gift of my Father.

Even if you are not an Apostle to others, you are to me.

Happy birthday, My Daddy, God's Apostle @gideonodoma

[Strings and gongs @mosesabdul9]

@lekan_olayinka1 @QueenG_EmekaEze @Olonade_esther Glory to God 🙌🙏

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

BIRTHDAY THINGS...

Finally, I get to start something of an explication of the doctrine of salvation, and something of a response to some of the contortions being peddled against those of us who push back at hypergrace.

To be clear: the problem with hypergrace is not simply the belief in OSAS. Properly qualified, Calvinists believe in OSAS. So the issue is deeper than that. OSAS is just a convenient pretense, a cunning smokescreen with which hypergracers seek to arm-twist the church into ceding them a seat at the table, and thereby bully the bride of Christ into investing hypergrace, even if unwittingly, with legitimacy.

It is in the text that Jesus is the author of "eternal salvation." No Christian should deny that. So, believing in eternal salvation is not the contention. The contention is something as sly as it is sinister. It is the sleight of hand, the sophistry by which hypergrace smuggles aberration into the faith. It is the hermeneutical move that flattens the nuanced landscape of biblical doctrine into a strangulated and sterilized wasteland. The land is lush-green, but hypergrace makes it anemic. At its best, hypergrace would plant a full stop where God, in scripture, ordains a comma or a (semi)colon. These are the issues.

It is a matter of doctrinal responsibility to unpack and clarify them. It is incumbent on those of us burdened with the sacred privilege of teaching to hold up the banner of true witness in this day of Marcion-like maneuvers and empty novelties.

There are easily a dozen critical points of departure in hypergrace – points of departure from the historic apostolic faith we inherited, as it came to us through the godly, faithful testimonies and labours of Prophets, Sages, and Martyrs. The vacated and limp novelties peddled by hypergrace must be identified for what they are. Another gospel! Yes, hypergrace is another gospel – one that is (for instance) reluctant to accept God's unambiguous, personal self-identification as both the God of Love and the God of Justice.

All I intend to do for now is not to lay a finger on every one of the myriad errors at the heart of hypergrace. I want to look at the doctrine of salvation, and use the exercise to refute the faulty soteriology of hypergrace.

You are welcome to join us.

[POJU OYEMADE @pastorpoju]

1. Seek for the next big opportunity that is right before you.

2. Build a daily confession of its present reality in your life mix it with thanksgiving and praise.

3. Go to God for wisdom to teach you how to get it done.

4. Go to work obeying his instructions.

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

Keep me burning, Saviour keep me burning
Let this fire overwhelm me, Saviour keep me burning
So when you come again, you will find me standing in your will.
– Sir T

[Lekan Olayinka @lekan_olayinka1]

Lord told me to go to the students and declare His holiness to them.

Next month, on July 25th, Saturday, UNILAG, I am inviting your for this prayer, word, impartation meeting.

The Power for Holiness exists in God. You don't need to be struggling with anything. Join us!

RT

[Spiricoco Twittter @SpiricocoNg]

Happy wedding anniversary to our father, Apostle Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma and Rev'd Hassana Odoma.

18 years of modelling the sacred union of Christ and the church is a blessedness.

May the Lord bless your home continuosly, sir and ma'am. Amen.

[Strings and gongs @mosesabdul9]

@SpiricocoNg @gideonodoma ❤️❤️❤️

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

And while you are at it, stay with the text. The TEXT! Centre the text, and employ other things as complements: systems, systematizers, philosophy, philosophers, illustrations, etc. Let the text be loud. Let it be the uncontested Thing at the centre.
Stay with the Text.

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAINTS

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Therefore do not be partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
– Paul of Tarsus, Apostle extraordinaire

*** *** ***
If I were the one preaching and I said, as in the last line above, that believers should LIVE as children of light, & that they should not just confess they are children of light; If I said so, some deluded hypergracer would start convulsing and accusing me of advocating for Legalism.

If someone is angry when you repeat what the New Testament teaches, is that person an apostle or a fraud? Please, tell

[Strings and gongs @mosesabdul9]

@SpiricocoNg The creation o😀

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

I go de quote bible, you go de throw tantrum in the name of logic say one thing na christology wey be soteriology.

Make I use una illogic sef. So, tell me, why una de vex say we de call Christians to purity, Christians o? If grace plenty for your side, why you no wan show receipts? Holy living na one sure proof of grace (Titus 2:11,12), but, once we say make you no de practice sin, especially sexual immorality, and especially if you wan be pulpit minister, una go de vex.

If no be fake grace wey una de advertise, why una no like make we shout about holiness sef? Grace wey de allergic to righteous living na the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be dat?

[Gideon Odoma @gideonodoma]

Hypergrace, truly, is ANOTHER gospel.
God forbid!

[Strings and gongs @mosesabdul9]

@lekan_olayinka1 Haba! 😂😂😂

[Lekan Olayinka @lekan_olayinka1]

I want to quickly watch a tutorial on how to fry eggs.

But let me say this: the literal center of the gospel is Jesus.

Immediately after Paul's conversion, the Bible said:

Acts 9:20:
"Immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of God.'"

This is it. Like, how can we hide Jesus? This gospel is too great and indescribable to hide God in the midst of it.

Why are we removing Jesus because some do not want to hear Him?

Why? This gospel is literally Him living, dying, resurrecting, and ascending.

How then do we remove Him from it?

So, what are we preaching? Why is our focus on those who do not want to hear Him and not the millions whose hearts God has prepared to receive this life?

What are we doing? Do we think we are wiser than God, who asked us to go preach Jesus?

You know? I thank God. God is showing that certain preachers do not know Jesus. And neither do they love Him.

The kingdom of God is like one who finds a treasure and sells all he has to purchase it.

That's Jesus. These preachers do not know Him. And I thank God He is exposing them.

Now let me go and watch a YouTube video on how to fry eggs. This is like the forth time I will be watching one.

It's too tricky.

[Rev Austin Ukporhe @revaustinukporh]

What Kind Of Minister Do You Want To Be?

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