Mt Zion Volume 1 Issue 4

JULY 2023 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4 JOURNAL OF FAITH MONTHLY MATTERS, MT ZION IBMU CHURCH BULLETIN REVEREND WARREN SIMON One of the Ministers who robed Pastor Kester Simon THE SONS OF THE PAST I.B.M.U PRESIDENT AND PASTOR OF MT ZION REVEREND WILLIAM SIMON PAGE 1

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4 JULY 2023 In This Issue Sermons from Reverend Warren Simon Pastor Kester FIGURE: Bishop Reverend Leroy Brereton Robing Pastor Kester Simon's Robing Simon Little Bethlehem TOP ARTICLE: CALL INTO Baptism Highlights MINISTRY, THE PASTOR'S CALLING FUN BIBLE GAMES \"BEFORE I FORMED YOU IN THE WOMB, I KNEW YOU; Word Search BEFORE YOU WERE BORN I SANTIFIED YOU, I ORDAINED Scripture Hunt YOU.....\" JEREMIAH 1:5 God has called them and that they have his anointing to serve him in this way—an anointing confirmed by their ordination. Paul tells us that Pastors, along with other ordained Ministers, are called “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). cont'd p.11 PAGE 2

July 2023 | Volume 1 Issue 4 Contents INTRODUCTIONS 0 4 Pastor's Desk 0 5 Editor's Notes SERMONS 0 7 Communion Sunday 0 9 Living the Blessed Life 2 0 A Righteous Man 2 2 Faith 2 4 Being Persistent (YOUTH SERMON) INSTALLATION 1 3 Pastoral Installation 1 4 Pre - Baptism Service (Thursday night highlights) 1 5 The Robing of Pastor Kester Simon 1 8 Baptism Highlights BIBLE GAMES 2 6 Word Search 2 7 Scripture Hunt Page 3

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 PASTOR'S DESK A Message from the Pastor's Desk: Seek God's Presence not his presents. The Israelites wandered around and around and then all the other things will be added the wilderness, going through the same unto us ( Matthew 6:33).Are you in a valley? struggle time and time again. God said He Worship God! Are you on top of the mountain? allowed this to teach them the truth of Worship God! Are all your needs met? Worship Deuteronomy 8:3 that man does not live by God! Are you in want? Worship God! bread alone (worldly things) but by every word When all things becomes the same to you in that proceeds out of the mouth of God (His the light of His glory, He is free to give you all promises). things. Seek His presence, not His presents. Keep God first in your life, and you will be God met their basic necessities in the amazed at what He will do for you. wilderness, but they were long from having their desires fulfilled. God wanted them to FIGURE: REVEREND WARREN SIMON AND have abundant life, but first they needed to FIRST LADY SUSAN SIMON learn to obey Him at all times. Sooner or later God has to teach us that our true life is in Him, not in anything the world has to offer. It would be great if He could simply tell us the truth and we could believe it, turn our backs on the world, and totally trust Him. It does not happen that way though, God deals with us and allow us to go through tests and trials, so we learn by experience and that doing things His way is the best way. God knows that if we would not serve and worship Him in the hard times of life (the valleys), we will not consistently serve and worship Him in the good times (the mountaintops). He wants to bless us with the desires of our hearts, but He demands first place in our lives at all times. There is a fine line between serving God because of what He can do for us and serving Him because of who He is. We can easily be deceived into seeking His hand (His presents) and not seeking His face (His presence) in our lives. We need to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, PAGE 4

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 EDITOR'S NOTES Now unto God our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. - Philippians 4:20. This month, we at Mt. Zion IBMU Church would like to extend congratulations to our sister church, Little Bethlehem IBMU Church on the installation of Pastor Kester Simon. Hailing from Mt. Zion, he moved from being Brother Simon, to Junior Minister Simon and now he has taken up the mantle as Pastor. It was truly a wonderful experience to see our Pastor, First Lady and members who are both family and friends share in his accomplishments. We thank Pastor Kester Simon for the impact he has left at Mt. Zion IBMU Church and as he moves forward we wish him and his congregation all God's choicest blessings. CONTACT: 354-4704 - Reverend Warren Simon Minister in charge of Mt. Zion Independent Baptist Missionary Union (IBMU) Church 466-7349 - Secretary of Mt. Zion I.B.M.U Church [email protected] FIGURE: Reverend Warren Simon with his brother Pastor FOLLOW OUR CHURCH FACEBOOK PAGE Kester Simon the sons of the late Superintendent PAGE 5 Reverend William Simon and First Lady Elvira Cuffy - Simon.

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 UPCOMING EVENTS August 01 Pre-Baptism Service 06.00 p.m. 2023 at St Matthews I.B.M.U Church on Monday 07th. 02 Pre-Baptism Service 07.00 p.m. at St Matthews I.B.M.U Church from Tuesday 08th - Friday 11th nightly. 03 Church Thanksgiving 02.00 p.m. Service At St Ann#2 I.B.M.U Church 04 St Matthew I.B.M.U Church Baptism Service Upcoming 05 Revival Services 07.00 p.m. Events From Wednesday 23rd - Friday 25th at St Paul #1 nightly. 06 60th Church Anniversary 02.00 p.m. At St Paul#1 I.B.M.U Church. Sunday Service @9:00am Bible Studies, Wednesdays @6:30pm Via Zoom MEETING ID: 219 479 9255 PASSCODE: M3g5h6 Prayer and Fasting, Thursdays @9:00am PAGE 6

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 COMMUNION SERMON \"...Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you except you abide in me....\" by: Rev Warren Simon SERMON: John 15:1-12 God wants us to love one another to that level. In It always protects, always trusts, always the book of John 3:16 it reads \" For God so love the hopes, always perseveres. world that He gave His only begotten Son that Love never fails...\" whosoever believes in Him shall no perish but have eternal life.\" Jesus about die, speaking with his disciple he said \" I am the vine...\" (vs 5) in other words He Could anyone reach to that level? Your only child, was saying \"I AM THE SOURCE\" Although Jesus with whom you so love and it spend 9 months know that Judas was going to betray him, he inside of you, can you give it to someone else? God never chased Judas away. love is a crazy love, He with hold nothing. Our kind of love is that \" if you love me I will love you In the church there are 2 vines, there are back,\" not so with God; He wants us to love those that will bear fruits and there are beyond criticism and beyond hatred. In 1 people in the church who will start with you Corinthians 13:4-8 it says \" Love is patient, love is however they will reach a certain level and go kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not no further. There are some people that you proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self- will need to detach in order for you to grow; seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record being detach from them doesn't mean that of wrongs. your angry with them, it's means for you to Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the move forward and grow spiritually. \"You are truth. the branches....\" (vs 5) if you are connected to the vine you ought to be fruitful however if you are not bearing any fruits, you will be cut down. In order for you to bear fruits you must remain connected to Jesus. In Psalm 1: 2-3 it says \"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.\" The remedy for spiritual growth is spending time in your word and Praying and Fasting. There are people though they may be going to church every Sunday, how they have been 40 years ago nothing has seemed to change. They are not fruitful for they have been in the same spot for far too long. PAGE 7

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 COMMUNION SERMON Love is supposed to meet you at the point of your needs, the bible said in Matthew 25:31-40 \"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, “I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.\" As Believers in Christ Jesus, we ought to reach to the point where we give to the needy and no one ought to know. Staying connected also means we ought to follow in the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. In John 6:1-14 when the 5 loaves and 2 fishes was given to Jesus, although he was hungry, he blessed the food and gave it to the people. Some of us would of fail the test as we would of eaten first and then gave the leftovers to the person who may be as hungry as we are. Jesus remained without but he made sure and give first. Every time a season comes in the vine extends, where we were last year we ought not to be on that exact same level, we ought to be spending time in our word to grow spiritually. The ought to love one another first, including the Judas that may be in our lives, once we can accomplish this then we can love anyone. As Christians we ought to know when to run and when to fight, in Genesis 39:12-18 Joseph did not fight he run, however in 1 Samuel 17:32-50 David did not run he fought, by staying connected to Jesus, we will know when to run and when to fight. PAGE 8

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 PSALM 1 SERMON He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper...... ~ LIVING THE BLESSED LIFE AS SERMON: Psalm 1:1-6 KINGDOM CITIZENS by: Rev Warren Simon The word of God says that \"where two or three when we are blessed, we are in a position to are gathered together in my name there I am in claim territories as the word of God says in 1 the midst (Matthew 18:20). \" John 4:4 \"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that is in When God has blessed, you He downloads you, than he that is in the world.\" success in you, the choice is ours whether it be As children of God we ought to start speaking to prosper or to accept failure. In the book of blessing into our lives. In Deuteronomy 28 God Psalm in chapter 1, we read about 2 categories, blessed the children of Israel with physical the Godly and the ungodly. The blessed man blessings but in the New Testament in the book associates himself with the Godly, an eagle will of Galatians 3:14 the Church was blessed with never associate itself with any other bird other both physical and Spiritual blessings. than his own. Now distancing yourself from ungodly doesn't mean to never speak to them, it Psalm chapter 1 has conditions, in verse 2 it means that you may be in the world, but you reads that \" but his delight is in the law of the mustn't conform to the world, never drop your Lord and in his law he meditates day and night.\" standards as a child of the Most High God. In In Job 1:10, God has placed a wall of protection your workplace you must make the difference, it's around us but some of us are not aware due to like meat, it's only when you add the seasoning lack of spending time in the presence of God. Job then it will be flavored. was a man who walk with God, the devil said \" thou has blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land (Job 1:10). Blessings doesn't just come easy, we ought to activate it, we ought to ask ourselves the question. Do we pay tithes? When we start to meditate on the word day and night it's only then will the blessings flow. When we are under attack it's because we are blessed, in Psalm 34:8 it reads, \" O taste and see that the Lord is good. In Deuteronomy 8:18-20, although God gives us Meditating on the word of God doesn't allow the wealth it is not for us to forget our Creator, ungodly to dictate your life, we ought to trust in because being disobedient to God can result in God. our destruction. In Deuteronomy 9:1-3, PAGE 9

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 PSALM 1 SERMON PAGE 10 In Psalm 84:5 it says \"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee,\" the blessed man draws strength from God, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:9), For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). In Psalm 89, when we learn to trust God we will then know how to worship, in Psalm 100:4 the word of God says to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” In verse 3 of Psalm 1 ''And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Here the tree cultivates as it is placed near a stream, and it will grow from glory to glory and from grace to grace. David spend 7 times in communication with God, we ought to ask ourselves how many times we spend in the presence of God? The reward of the wicked is destruction but the reward of the righteous is guidance and protection from the Lord. In 1 Samuel 17:8-45, all of the training that the Israelites received did not prepared them for a man like Goliath. David although he didn't received training from the army he said in verse 45 of 1 Samuel 17 “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.\" We ought to walk in authority, it was only one-shot David made and the battle was over (vs 49-50). As Believers of Christ let us walk in authority and victory as it says in Ephesians 3:20 \"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.\"

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 THE PASTOR'S CALLING CONTINUATION FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE, AS I FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. (1 COR. 11:1) All Christians are called to share in the We are all called to be his servants, using the ministry of Jesus, through what Paul refers to gifts he has given us to direct others to him. here as “works of service.” Ordained ministers, A good leader leads by example. Be shepherds including pastors, are called to serve by of God's flock that is under your care, serving equipping and then leading God’s people in as overseers -- not because you must, but these works. To be called by God to serve as a because you are willing, as God wants you to pastor is a privilege, blessing and be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; responsibility. not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Pet. 5:2-3). It’s a calling that comes to different people in An Effective Leader: different ways—sometimes quietly, over a long period of time; at other times dramatically and An example who reflects Jesus suddenly—like Paul on the road to Damascus A guide who points people to the Lord as (Acts 26:12-14). You will know “for sure” only in their source your spirit and through the confirmation of A servant with a heart of humility those you serve. We walk by faith, not by sight, A shepherd who cares about people's and the opportunity to serve God is unlike any welfare. other life endeavor. The center of that service involves feeding others through sharing with Pastor Kester Simon and Members of Mt. Zion them the living and written Word of God. This IBMU Church for the IBMU Ordination in flows out of a desire that others come to know October 2022. God through Jesus Christ and put their trust in him alone for life now and eternally. Signs that PAGE 11 point to such a calling are love for studying and communicating the Word of God, desire to pray with and for people, desire to enable people to come to God in worship, and desire to help people become a fellowship of those gathered in the Holy Spirit around the Word of God both written and living. Pastoral ministry, regardless of the specific area of service, is extremely challenging. The stress level can be significant, rated by some to be second only to medical doctors. To function properly as a pastor requires that you resist the pull of our fallen human nature and maintain humility before God.

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 INSTALLATION PAGE 12

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 REVIVAL NIGHTS Photo Collection of the Installation of Pastor Kester Simon at Little Bethlehem Independent Baptist Missionary Union Church WEDNESDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS The First Pre-Baptismal night started with the Pastoral Installation of Pastor Kester Simon at Little Bethlehem IBMU Church. This installation was also the first done by our Bishop, Reverend Leroy Brereton. The Minister to deliver the days sermon was no other than our very own Pastor Warren Simon of Mt Zion IBMU Church, Piparo, the word was taken from John 5:1-15 - \"take up your bed and walk.\" FIGURE: Pastor Kester Simon anointing the candidates PAGE 13

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 REVIVAL NIGHTS Photo Collection of the Installation of Pastor Kester Simon at Little Bethlehem Independent Baptist Missionary Union Church THURSDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS On THURSDAY NIGHT, the last Revival night, the word was ministered to the congregation by Junior Minister Donna Ragbir. The word came from the book of 1 Corinthians 13:11 - \"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.\" FIGURE: Pastors Rigirl Sylvester and Kester Simon with their candidates PAGE 14

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM Photo Collection of the First Robing Ceremony done by Bishop Leroy Brereton and the First Baptism of Pastor Kester Simon TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD Isaiah 61:10 - I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness. This ceremony was established during the consecration of Aaron in the office of High Priest (Exo 29:5). FIGURE: Bishop Leroy Brereton gave the congregation a look at the robe to be worn by Pastor Simon for his office as a representative of Christ. PAGE 15

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM Photo Collection of the First Robing Ceremony done by Bishop Leroy Brereton and the First Baptism of Pastor Kester Simon TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD It is a mark of position the Minister achieves which shows that he totally belong to God (Exo 29:44), once blessed it is only, he can take it off if he is unworthy. With Regards to the Robing Ceremony, the First Button was joined by the President Reverend Leroy Brereton and Ministers were as follow: 2nd - Rev Troy Renn (First Vice President) 3rd- Reverend Warren Simon (Mt Zion) 4th - Reverend David Richardson (Lendor Memorial) 5th - Pastor Rigirl Sylvester (Little Bethlehem) 6th - Pastor Debbieann Brereton (St Ann#2/ La Lune \"House of Bread\") 7th- Pastor Rawle Hamilton - (St Matthews) 8th- Evangelist Annmarie Blades Bridgeman (Lendor Memorial) 9th- Head Mother Jennifer Mark - (St Paul#1) 10th- Mother J Francis (Widow of Rev E Francis, former Pastor of Little Bethlehem) PAGE 16

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM Photo Collection of the First Robing Ceremony done by Bishop Leroy Brereton and the First Baptism of Pastor Kester Simon The shoulder piece signifies the weight of the Ministry on your shoulders, the cord is to bind you to the horns of the Altar totally committed to the work. PAGE 17

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM Photo Collection of the First Robing Ceremony done by Bishop Leroy Brereton and the First Baptism of Pastor Kester Simon PAGE 18

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM Photo Collection of the First Robing Ceremony done by Bishop Leroy Brereton and the First Baptism of Pastor Kester Simon PICTURES OF THE FULLY ROBED PASTOR KESTER SIMON. \"HE HATH CLOTHED ME WITH THE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.\" - ISAIAH 61:10 “Excellent ministers cannot be those who yearn for earthly applause. Neither can they be lovers of earthly comfort. The life of ministry is not a life of leisure. The notion that ministry can be both effective and painless is a lie. ― John MacArthur PAGE 19

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 A RIGHTEOUS MAN For a just man falls seven times and rise up again....... by: Reverend Warren Simon SERMON: Proverbs 24:16 To be righteous means to be in right standing yet he blessed God by saying - \" the Lord gave, with God. It also includes to be blamesless (Job and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the 1:1), Daniel was living a life unto God, however name of the Lord...\" Job 1:21 the people tried to get him to fall but he remained faithful. You cannot be in right The devil was probably strategizing his next standing with God and you're not in a right move for Job, When God made a boast about Job, standing with people. Part of being righteous is we ought to ask ourselves, are we living a life having a good relationship with those around that can cause God to boast on us? God don't you. give us more than we can bear, when the Being righteous doesn't mean that your life will situation is over, we will become stronger, wiser be a bed of roses, take for example Job, he went and our faith will be increase. through the worst trial in his life. A righteous man will fall seven times, Job lost all his When things are not going good with us, we children, yet the wicked man had all of his ought to be saying \" Bless the Lord oh my soul children. When a righteous man falls it's a and all that is within me, Bless His Holy name.\" - fulfillment of scriptures, the Bible said in James Psalm 103:1. He is the God of transformation; He 1:2 - \"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall can transform a bad situation into something into divers' temptations; knowing this, that the good. In the poem \"FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND\" trying of your faith worketh patience.” When you the writer noticed that during the lowest and fall God is setting you up to go higher heights saddest time in their life there was only one set because we are more than conquerors - Romans of .... however, God assured that when there was 8:37. one set of footprints is when He carried us, He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother - God is with us even when we are down, His word Proverbs 18:24. said in Psalm 23 (A PSALM OF DAVID) - that though I walk through the valley of the shadow A messenger of Satan was assigned to buffet of death I will fear no evil for you are with Paul, it means that you will be under attack, true me....Although we fall, He raises us up. When the gold is tested by fire. The bible says that the wicked fall that is it, Job lost all his children, step of a good man is ordered by the Lord - . Psalm 37:23-24. There are some people when they need favors, they pray and fast and go to church on a regular basis, however when their needs have been met there is no more regular church going anymore. Little did they know that they just drop their defence. In Matthew 12:43-45 - It shows us that when an evil Spirit leaves it goes looking for a place to rest and doesn't find any, it returns with 7 more spirts more wicked than himself to torment the person it was once cast out before. PAGE 20

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 ROBING/BAPTISM This is because the individual has dropped their defense and it's about 8 spirits that has just entered. They may keep a low profile inside of the person so that they will not be cast out again, they are strategic. Do not be dismayed, God has given us the strength to rise up, one day we will look back and say \"If it had not been for the Lord who has been on our side.\" PAGE 21

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 SEREMON ON FAITH Launch out into the deep and let your nets for a draught...... by: Reverend Warren Simon SERMON: Luke 5:1-8 1 Timothy 6:12 - (FIGHTING FAITH) - Faith is SMALL FAITH - \"If you fail under pressure, your good, but as a Believer in Christ you would have strength is too small.\" - (Prov 24:10) In the book to fight, fight to to maintain and fight to of Jeremiah 12:5 (KJV) God ask Jeremiah \" If thou overcome. The Bible says \"Faith comes by hast run with the footmen, and they have hearing and hearing the word of God. \" (Rom wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with 10:17), by reading the word of God you must horses? allow it to speak to you. SPOKEN WORD - After hearing the word, it's time to put it into action. One day a storm will come, and our foundation Peter said, \" Master we toiled whole night and will be tested. It is then we will know how have caught nothing,\" Jesus told them to \"launch strong we are. An example of this is Abraham out, \" right where the disciples where the and King Abimelech, this story narrates of answer was located. In the book of Matthew 7:7 Abraham emigrating to the southern region of it reads, \" Ask and it will be given unto you, seek Gerar, Abraham states that Sarah, his wife, is and you will find, knock and the door will be really his sister, leading Abimelech to try to take opened to you....\" Sometimes our answers are Sarah as a wife; however, God intervened before right there but we ought to dig deep, at times Abimelech touched Sarah. we may need to change our prayer and reading pattern. Another example is Joseph, his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. It wasn't According to Jesus word, Peter launched out by until years later when his dream came true when faith, after the experience with Jesus, Peter left his brothers bow down to him. Sometimes in life his trade to follow to follow the one who spoke people will hurt you but who God bless no man the word. DELAYED ANSWER - God waited till curse. Abraham was 75 years old to go to a place where God will show him. The Bible says to Wait on the Delayed blessings can come according to your LORD: be of good courage, and he shall faith, but when God raise you, you will be able to strengthen thine heart: wait, i say, on the LORD. stand on mountains; For we walk by faith and (Psalm 27:14). not by sight. PAGE 22

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 YOUTH SUNDAY 1 Timothy 4:12 - “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” On the last Sunday in the month of July, the youths of Mt Zion IBMU Church decided to step forward to take charge of the service. As we take a look in the book of 1 Samuel 17: 42 - Goliath didn't take David seriously as he was a young boy standing before a champion. The little tyke and youngster David slayed the giant Goliath. It shows that no matter the size or strength, it’s possible to tackle even the most intimidating of foes. We want to encourage the young people to do not be afraid of what others may think about you, do what is right and let God take care of the rest. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YOUTH SUNDAY PAGE 23

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 YOUTH SUNDAY SERMON And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ by: Sister Khedija Simon SERMON: Luke 18:1-8 (BEING PERSISTENT) PERSISTENCE WHEN IT GETS TOUGH In 1 Thess 5;17 it say to \"Prayer without ceasing) this applies for when things starts to become tough. Persistence is the ability to keep going when (Philippians 3:13-14, Hebrews 12:2), 1 things get tough, it's to never give up on your Chronicles 16:11) goals regardless of how difficult they may seem. In the book of Daniel 10:10-13, we see how persistent Daniel was when answers were not In the book of Luke 18:1-8 Jesus is teaching a coming to him, he never breaks his fasting. It parable as it highlights the importance of was not until Gabriel came and said that the persistence in prayer and in life, the widow first day Daniel humbles himself before God, never gives up. An example of this is in Mark he was sent. The problem was that the prince 5:26-27 the woman with the issue of blood, of the Kingdom of Persia withstood him although it was difficult for her to go through (Gabriel) for 21 days, there is war in the the crowd to reach Jesus to touch him; she atmosphere for it says that our fight is not never gave up as she had FAITH that she can be with flesh and blood but Principalities.....( Eph healed. 6:12). In Matthew 7:7 it shows us the intensity of Another example is Jacob in the book of ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING. Genesis 32:24-30 in where Jacob wrestled Asking is the first level as it is presenting a with God; and although it was the breaking of request to God (Philippians 4:6) dawn he told the man that he will not let him Seeking - it is another level in where our go not until he blessed him. Some of the prayers are not answered immediately but you lessons we can learn from Jacob is - WE NEED don't give up (Jeremiah 29:13) FORGIVENESS and it only comes by the mercy Knocking - this is a deeper level; it is prayer of God. God Honours perseverance especially that is persistent when answers are no longer in our seeking him (Gen 32:25-26) Our identity coming. (Luke 11: 5-13), the knocking is the is in Christ (Gen 32:27-28, 1 Cor 5:17) God most intense level of the spiritual warfare in wants us to know him intimately (Gen 32:29). prayer. Closeness to God requires Humility (Gen32:31) An example of a man who was persistent despite the cost was Paul in the New Testament. PAGE 24

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 YOUTH SUNDAY SERMON No one had a better conversion story, he used to intensely persecute the Christians and after his conversion he had such a zeal for God that he faced many trials and persecution. In 2 Cor 11:23-33, he was, imprisoned repeatedly flogged Exposed to death again and again received 39 lashed 5 times Beaten with rods 3 times got pelt with stones shipwrecked 3 times. Although these things happened to Paul he was persistent when it comes to the will of God and so to we must follow, there's an old time song that used to sing,\" I am pressed but not cursed, persecuted not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. Things may get tough but let us never give up, let us endure to the end. PAGE 25

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 BIBLE WORD SEARCH PAGE 26

JULY 2023, ISSUE 4 SCRIPURE HUNT PAGE 27

TODAY'S REMINDER Psalm 121 : 1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

SHEPHERD, EMBRACE YOUR ROLE. PREACH WITH PASSION. CONFRONT WITH CONVICTION. RESTORE WITH COMPASSION. SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON WITH GENTLENESS. CARE FOR GOD’S FLOCK. PASTOR KESTER SIMON EMBRACES MOTHER FRANCIS