Agree with Yeshua

2ND EDITION 2015 TRINITY UNITED CHURCH LEGONDemonstrating the In the mind ofcharacter of Christ: the Choirmasterhumility andobedience (Phil 2) As glamorous as….Nature’s gifts Communication with Daddy (Prayer) So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3; 18; NLT)

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT - Asa Addo-Danquah 2015, as with every new day or year, comes with a new sense of refreshing, hope, vigour, aspirations, determination and drive, to mention just a few. With all this also lie the realities of uncertainties, unfortunate circumstances, ups and downs. No one really knows tomorrow. Though we all hope to have the best, it is very uncertain, whether we all will have the good times and expectations we hope for or not. If we do not control what each day brings us, it becomes necessary to note therefore, that it is not what happens to us with the passing of time that is important but what we hold on to in all circumstances. Whether we would walk or fall depends on what and who we hold on to, in the journey of our lives. An illustration could be drawn from the lives of Saul, David and Solomon, all of whom were great kings of Israel. (1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings 1 – 11) We notice from the life of Saul,that in the beginning he walked with God and even prophesied to the surprise of by-standers. (1 Samuel10) We can probably say, he was full of the Spirit. However, in the face of danger, under the threats of beingdeserted, Saul could not stand – he failed to hold on to God, his faith in a faithful God. (1 Samuel 13: 8-14)For Solomon, at height of all the successes, possessing wisdom, wealth, pomp and majesty (with very littlehardships to him because he enjoyed so much peace from wars) he turned his back to his God. He couldnot hold fast to his faith till the end.We notice the very opposite in the case of David. With every passing trial and trouble, David held fast toGod his Lord. He held fast to God, whether in seeking forgiveness, blessings, protection, directions forbattles, praising him for victories, offering sacrifices – in everything, David learned to hold fast to his God;his confession of faith in God.Ups and downs remain part of the human experience. It is not so much of realising our dreams, everythinggoing well or everything going bad that counts. It is the choice we make whether to hold fast to our Godor not that matters.2015 may be the worst of years for you since your existence or the most wonderful year ever. However itmay be, let us learn to hold on to God. Walking every day in prayer (Matthew 26:41), studying and obeyinghis Word (Joshua 1:8 & Matthew 7:24-27), making time to fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:23-25 & Proverbs 27:17) and also sharing our faith with others that we may be more strengthened and havestronger confirmation in our spirits that the God we serve, he alone is God (2 Timothy 4:2)!So, as we move into the unknown of the future ahead, let us stand firm, with our heads lifted high, placingour hands firmly into the hands of God, who alone knows what is ahead.Agree with Jesus!

12014 IN RETROSPECT It's about time we saw things in this light:Whenever situations bring before us troubles, we should always forget about the trouble and ratherlook critically into the issue to find out what God is trying to tell us. Sometimes God just needs us to encounter some trials so He can talk to us through them. So here's my answer. ... Never give up on God when troubled cos for all you know your breakthrough is just a few steps ahead.We should always know that God knows best. The fact that things aren't going the way we planneddoesn't mean that's the end of it for us. The God our creator who stated in Jeremiah 29:11 , that \" Heknows the plans He has for Us, plans of good and not of evil \" , would surely make sure His words come to pass. Always remember this: Whenever problems weight so much on you, just look up and say \"I KNOW I HAVE YOU”. #StayinHisLove Naa Norley

2 EXPOSITION ON THE THEME FOR THE YEAR (2015) – “Demonstrating the Character of Christ: Humility and Obedience”According the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (November 2014), Humility is the quality or state of not thinking you are better than people; the quality or state of being humble (i.e down-to-earth). Obedience is defined as being submissive to the restraint or command of authority: willing to follow the commands or guidance of; conform to or comply with. The Bible admonishes us to learn the attitude of Jesus; which can be summed up in Philippians 2: 1 – 18. A number of things can be learned from this text. Let us consider these three:1. In demonstrating Christ’s character, we must be humble, willing to give up our rights like Jesus did, when it comes to obeying God; considering that the entirety of our lives is owed to God. Therefore pleasing him should be the ultimate thing to us – submitting to the restraint and command of God. Too many times, as human beings, we quickly fight for our rights, and true so. However, Jesus teaches us a higher form of living to please God: even though it may be right for you and me, morally and spiritually, for the sake of fulfilling God’s purposes, we must of our own volition, choose to forego our rights. And let us not be confused. The sole purpose of God for us is explicitly stated in Ecclesiastes 12:13 and expounded in John 15: 1 – 27.2. For the Youth Fellowship and the church at large to grow, Christians must learn selflessness; living not only to and for ourselves but for the benefit of the whole. Jesus teaches us in the Philippians passage that we ought to learn to put other people ahead of us: their needs and concerns. This is a rare situation in our time: thinking of the other person first. The world has become too fast for that! But it still remains true, that no matter how society (which involves the media, our physical dwellings and associations) seeks to define and re-define current life trends: virtues and vices, the whole creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of the children of God! (Rom 8: 19-21).3. In the abundance of blessings: gifts of grace, academic and job progress, financial, etc, we need to put ourselves in check. That is, not thinking we are better than others, because of these gifts, and also being submissive to the restraint or command of God in order that through these gifts, we become more useful to God. For example, Jesus possessed every good and blessing there ever is – he was God. But we learn that, he did not get conceited and proud but chose to demean himself. And let us notice that, this act of humility and obedience brought Jesus more glory (humanly speaking). 1 Peter 5:5 says that God opposes

3 the proud but gives grace to the humble. If we truly desire to work in the power and authority of God, as Jesus demonstrated on earth, we cannot go pass these: humility and obedience.It is easy for us to think that because Jesus was God, these virtues came naturally to him. But that was notto be the case as Hebrews 5: 8 tells us: “even though he was God's Son, he learned through his sufferingsto be obedient. (Good News Bible)” The passage teaches us that through the experiences Jesus encountered(being caught in a human body even though he was God) he actually took opportunity to learn to obey andtherefore become humble to God’s will of suffering for humanity.A look back into yesteryears tells us that God is blessing us – he continues to confirm through revelationsand prophesies that he has anointed, continues to and has more anointing for the Youth of the church forthe purposes of ministry in his vineyard. But, like the Corinthian church, in the midst of the abundance ofGod’s blessings, we also face the danger of divisions, pride, being and yearning to be the center ofattraction, selfishness and unspirituality (1 Corinthians 1: 4-17). In order that we, in the face of all theseblessings of God, do not become conceited, feel indispensable and too important, we must consciouslylearn, like Jesus, to be humble and obedient to God, so that we can better serve and positively impacthuman beings for God our Father.We realise from the Philippians passage that Jesus as an act of his will became humble and obedient – thisdoes not come naturally, it takes working at it, through the grace of God which he has freely given usthrough his Spirit and Word.May God help us truly demonstrate this character of Christ. The people of God cannot truly demonstratethe power of God without first learning in humility to obey God. May the young people of our time learnthis truth that God through us will impact human lives with power and authority. Shalom.  Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second!  A lightning bolt generates temperatures five times hotter than those found at the sun's surface!  A coal power station puts 100 times more radiation into the air than a nuclear power plant producing the same amount of energy!  In 1999, Harvard physicist Lene Hau was able to slow down light to 17 meters per second and in 2001, was able to stop light completely

42014 IN RETROSPECTWhen the path to the future looks hollowAnd the sights of people are shallow They tend to mellow And believe in shadows That come back to haunt them They need to look out for God Cos Life is better only with God And with Him the future always is bright. Naa Norley

5THE POWER OF PRAYER by Solomon Papa Abeka Cobbinah WHAT IS PRAYER? Prayer is our direct line to heaven. It is the communication between GOD and man. It is also the intercourse of the soul and spirit of man with GOD. WHAT DO I SAY? Many people don’t enjoy prayer because they first of all don’t know what to say.What do you say when you pray? Now let’s see what is required of us when we decide to pray; let’s turn our Bibles to Philippians 4:6. It reads, “BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUEST BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD”. I think this answer our Question, WHAT DO I SAY? HOW DO I SAY IT? DOES HOW I SAY IT MATTER? HAS IT GOT AN EFFECTIVE ON MYPRAYERS? Many people once again battle with these questions when prayer comes to mind. What doesthe Bible say? Luke 11:9, “AND I SAY TO YOU,ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU;SEEK,AND YOUWILL FIND;KNOCK, AND WILL BE OPENED TO YOU”; Hebrews 4:16, “LETS US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE ,THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.” HOW DO I KNOW GOD HAS HEARD MY PRAYERS? Jeremiah 33:3 “CALL TO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER YOU, AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW.” Let’s also look at Isaiah 65:24, “IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT BEFORE THEY CALL, I WILL ANSWER AND WHILE THEY ARE STILL SPEAKING, I WILL HEAR.” These beautiful scriptures give us the assurance that there is somebody who is always on the alert to listen anytime we open our mouth in prayers. WHY SHOULD I ALWAYS PRAY? Many people today don’t see the need to always pray. Should wepray just when we feel like or when we are in trouble or in need? Let’s see what the Bible says about that; 1 Thess. 5:17-18, “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS,FOR THIS IS THEWILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU.” Is this not amazing? Praying always is the will of GOD for us through Jesus. This clearly shows and answers the QUESTION in the above. As Believers we would always want to be in the will of GOD and praying always ushers us first to the will of GOD. You can also read Philippians 4:6 and Colossians 4: 2. WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF PRAYER? People don’t see the Importance of spending hours praying toGOD. HAS PRAYER GOT VALUE IN OUR LIVES? Let’s go and check; Luke 22:40, “WHEN HE CAME TO THE PLACE, HE SAID TO THEM ‘PRAY THAT YOU MAY NOT ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.” This scripture boldly gives us the importance of praying. It’s a life saver from all kinds of temptation.Psalm 145:18, “THE LORD IS NEAR TO ALL WHO CALLUPON HIM, TO ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM IN TRUTH.” This means prayer draws us closer to God more than HIS angels if you can absorb that.Prayer is of great importance in our lives both spiritually and physically. I hope that this piece will get usto take our prayer lives serious and remove every doubt and misconception about prayers. For scriptures says; for my house will be called a house of prayer (MATT. 21:13) Amen “Go where you are celebrated – not tolerated. If they can’t see the real value ofyou, it’s time for a new start.” – Unknown

6 GLAM COLUMN The Qualities of God’s Glamour Girl – The Confident Christian Woman By Jacqueline J. Overpeck (CBN.com)Be encouraged glamour girl! You belong to the Most High God. As His daughter you live by anotherstandard than the fashion magazines portray. Heaven is your eternal home and you are astounding inunearthly beauty. With your life surrendered to Jesus you sparkle with radiance. You are spiritually savvy and God has created you to be exquisite in Him. The more you sit at His feet, the more His image will be seen in you. He is love. How does anything else compare to that? Seriously what could be more attractive than love? The next time you look in the mirror, please don’t compromise your heart by comparing yourself to anyone else. There’s no one like you. Be confident in Christ. According to Scripture, you are: G – Gorgeous inside and out You fear the Lord knowing He’s the source of all good things. (Prov. 31:30) L – Laughter You aren’t afraid to laugh out loud and you look for ways to encourage others. (Neh. 8:10) A – All about adoration You’ve got a heart for applauding your king. You love to praise and worship God. (Psalm 100: 1-2) M – Mercy Your heart is full of compassion and your hands are ready to serve. (Col. 3: 12 – 14)O – OriginalYou are uniquely yourself. You place your whole life in God’s hands – knowing as His creation you alreadyshine like a star. (Psalm 139: 13 – 14)U – UnderstandingYou have a ravenous appetite for wisdom and you love to read the Bible. You are thirsty for truth anddelight in understanding the mysteries of God. (Prov. 24: 3 - 4)R- RighteousYou keep yourself pure. You desire to be an untarnished vessel for God’s anointing to flow through.Nothing is more important to God’s Glamour Girl than establishing heaven’s kingdom on earth. (Psalm 71:14 – 15) “Just know, when you truly want success, you’ll never give up on it. No matter how bad the situation may get.” – Unknown

7 YOUNG AND DOING EXPLOITS Benjamin Offei AddoAwJ: Who’s Benjamin Offei-Addo?BOA: A young man born to Rev. Percy Offei-Addo (a Presbyterian Minister) and Mrs. JoannaOffei-Addo. The last of two boys. Had my basic education in Akropong. From there I went toPresec- Legon and then to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Concerning my person, I’ll say I am young, passionate, focused and goal-oriented. Witha firm belief in making an impact.AwJ: Has anybody or any circumstance influencedthe decisions you have taken to be what you arenow?BOA: First, the issues surrounding my birth andgrowing up are an inspiration in itself. My motherhad me for 15 months and went through a CaesarianSection to deliver me. After a year and three months,I caught terrible pneumonia. At that point I wasstaying with my maternal grandmother in Akropong.My paternal grandparents then decided to take me toAbetifi where my paternal grandfather (also aReverend Minister) was stationed. Moving on from there, many situations I haveencountered in my life and the grace God hasprovided to surmount the many challenges make merealize the more why I should do the things I do. A number of people have also had greatimpacts in my life. First is my late paternalgrandmother. A passionate, smart woman whom Iwas fortunate to grow up with. Her attitude towardseverything she was doing, her big heart filled with love. Despite the fact that she was an Ashantimarried to an Akuapem family and fitting in so well relating with everybody in a loving way, Itook a lot of inspiration from her. My ability to read and speak both Twi and English well can betraced to the training I received from my paternal parents. Professionally and academically, I have been influenced greatly by an uncle of mine, Mr.Eric Offei-Addo. He is my father’s younger brother, a smart gentleman. I currently find myselffilling the spaces He is occupied. He read Economics for a first degree, a Chartered Accountantinto Asset management, a lawyer and has a Master’s degree in Finance. He is also an )dade33. Isee a lot of him in me, this has not been deliberate but he inspires me to go along the path that Iam on. I am especially inspired about the way he goes about things, the knowledge of hissuccesses. Knowing about the successes He is achieved despite having fewer opportunities;having the attitude to make things work for himself, not looking for what others had to offer him.

8He taught me that anything I am able to do or not able to do is entirely within my remit and totake responsibility for everything that happens to me.AwJ: What makes you smile?BOA: When I put passion to a test and I succeed. When I am able to make somebody else smile,that makes me smile. I have come to realize that this life is about people. This is the reason why Ido not enjoy a job which takes people away, I want to get interactive to know that problems arebeing solved.AwJ: Why are you so passionate about music?BOA: Music makes sense; there’s harmony and coordination in music. Take for example atypical orchestra with a choir. You will have the string instruments, the wind and percussioninstruments and the keyboard. Then you take the choir, typical soprano, alto, tenor and bass.Despite the myriad of groups in the collection, they are able to coordinate and produce somethingwonderful. That in itself is a huge message for me – that together we can produce somethinggood. Growing up, I have found myself in various leadership positions, making me believe thatthings are possible. Music therefore goes to the very core of my philosophy and my attitudetowards things. It is a universal language which transcends boundaries of times and place.I could also say that there are some family influences to my love for music, my grandfather wasa Reverend Minister and Choirmaster, my father followed in the same footsteps, being aReverend Minister and Choirmaster and I, at the moment Choirmaster.AwJ: How’s your love life?BOA: Currently not in a relationship but looking to God to sort me out. With the kind of personI am and the things I have to do, I am looking for someone who will be a real partner. I keepsaying that I do want to marry a partner and not a subordinate, there is a need for some synergies,someone who I can talk to and appreciate and contribute to the projects in my lives. Someonewho can offer me an opinion, who can relate with me on the same level I am on. It is one area inmy life I keep saying I have to get right.Like I have already mentioned, I am a people’s person. I have many friends and I am still gettingto know them.AwJ: What message do you have for the fellowship?BOA: The fellowship is such a family and I feel so privileged to be a part of the fellowship. Thefellowship has offered me a lot in terms of opportunities and support. The kind of people I havemet in this fellowship are very varied, academic and social wise. It has opened my mind tomany things which hitherto I was oblivious to. I want to say that the TUCY fellowship is great and I will like to encourage each memberof the fellowship and make them know that they can get it if they really want. Anything you setyour mind to, it is important to put God at the center. Greater days are yet to come, we just gotstarted.

9 A PESEWA FOR MY THOUGHTS Humility Culled from FACINGLIFE.net He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?\" -- Micah 6:8There was a time when the word \"humility\" was a word of contempt. You could not offer a man a greater insult than to call him humble. To call a man humble was to characterize him as cowardly and weak. But when Christ came He took this hated word and made it one of the most honorable in our language. The virtue it expresses, once so despised, is now regarded as the crowning grace of life. Humility is now considered a virtue so beautiful, so exalted, that men seek to cultivate it. You cannot pay a man a greater tribute today than to say that he possesses the grace of humility.The word \"humility\" means literally a low estimate of self. But this does not imply self-deprecation. When you hear someone deprecating himself, usually you can put it down as a sort of counterfeit humility. Someone has said, \"The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your full height before some higher nature that will show you how small your greatness is.\"\"Walk humbly with thy God.\" Here is where we learn true humility. Walking with God, seeing ourselvesby the side of His greatness, we see how little we are. And seeing how little we are is the first step towardbecoming what we can and ought to be. We never become truly great, until we first become truly humble. Moreover, we cannot do our best work until we are \"clothed with humility.\" We never reach the point where we can be of real service to the world until we are willing to humble ourselves and take the place of a servant. “I don’t regret the things I’ve done, I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance.” –Unknown

102014 IN RETROSPECT

11 RIB CRACKERSTwo little boys were best friends at church, but they both had a reputation for getting into trouble. One Sunday, one of the boys was home sick, but the other boy, not wanting to let his friend down, was twice as bad as normal. As he was running through the sanctuary after church, the pastor grabbed him and angrily said, \"Where's God?!\" The little boy was frightened and didn't know what to say. The pastor continued, \"I want you to go home and think about it and I don't want you to come back until you can tell me where God is.\" The boy went home and called his sick friend on the telephone. \"Guess what,\" he said. \"They've lost God, and they're trying to blame that one on us, too.\" OUT OF LUCK A guy named Joe finds himself in dire trouble. His business has gone bust and he's in serious financial trouble. He's so desperate that he decides to ask God for help. He begins to pray... \"God, please help me. I've lost my business and if I don't get some money, I'm going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lotto.\" Lotto night comes and somebody else wins it. Joe again prays... \"God, please let me win the lotto! I've lost my business, my house and I'm going to lose my car as well\". Lotto night comes and Joe still has no luck. Once again, he prays... \"My God, why have you forsaken me?? I've lost my business, my house, and my car. My wife and children are starving. I don't often ask you for help and I have always been a good servant to you. PLEASE just let me win the lotto this one time so I can get my life back in order.\" Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open and Joe is confronted by the voice of God Himself: \"Joe, meet Me halfway on this. Buy a ticket.\" THE INTERVIEWReaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer fresh out ofthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology, \"And what starting salary are you looking for?\" The engineer replies, \"In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package.\" The interviewer inquires, \"Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks’ vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a red Corvette?\" The engineer sits up straight and says, \"Wow! Are you kidding?\" The interviewer replies, \"Yeah, but you started it.\"

12 RESOURCES OF GHANA Early oil exploration efforts in Ghana – onshore and offshore By Prof. V. K. AblordeppeyThe West Africa Oil and Fuel Company (WAOFCO)was the first to drill a number of wells for oil in theonshore Tano fields of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in1896. Between 1909 and 1913, a French Company,Francaise de Petrole (SPF) followed WAOFCO’searlier effort and drilled six (6) wells. One of the wellsstruck oil at a 10 – 17 meter depth and produced 7barrels of oil per day (bopd). The remaining wellsonly showed promising indications for oil and gas.Philip Petroleum was said to have been the first todiscover the Cape Three Point gas. They capped itsince, at the time, it appeared isolated and hence notthat marketable.The first commercial discovery of oil and gas wasmade by Agripetco in the Saltpond Basin in 1971.Commercial production started in 1975.Meanwhile, extensive exploration efforts byRomanian and Soviet Geologists in the Volta Inlandand Keta Coastal basins produced a lot of boreholedata; but no oil or gas worthy of mention (1960 –1967).Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) was established in 1983 under PNDC Law 64, with a well-defined mission. This led to several agreements with foreign firms in the search for and production of oiland gas.It was at this time that the Canadian Government assisted GNPC to drill and clearly define thepotentials of, 1. The North Tano Gas Field with reserves estimated to be over 73 billion cubic; 2. The TanoSouth (Oil and Gas) field with estimated reserves of over 14 million barrels of oil and 120 billion cubic feetof gas; 3. West Tano field (Heavy Crude Oil) estimated at 4 million barrels.About the author.Born in Sekondi – Ghana, Victor Kofi Ablordeppey is a geologist who received his training in the USA frominstitutions including the University of Chicago (1958, 1960, 1970); Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1959. Hisexperience in the field and academia has been extensive and varied. Working with the Ghana Geological SurveyDepartment from 1961 to 1967 and also as a Geophysics Research Assistant at the University of Chicago from 1967 to1970.His first teaching appointment was with the University of Wisconsin (Parkside) 1970 – 1971 as assistant Professor ofGeology. He moved in 1971 to Virginia State College as Associate Professor of Geology from 1971 to 1978. He has hadsummer attachments with Shell Oil of USA in New Orleans (1972 – 1973). He took a short course at the University ofCalifornia (LA) in Ocean Science and Engineering in July 1975. He was a visiting lecturer at the Kwame NkrumahUniversity of Science and Technology, Kumasi, 1980 and also a visiting lecturer with the University for DevelopmentStudies, Tamale, 1994.During his years in the USA, he was a member of the Geological Society of America, American Association for theAdvancement of Science and a Smithsonian Associate Member. In Ghana, he is currently a Fellow of the Institute ofGeoscientists.

13 Name of Programme Date Name of Programme Date /Activity 2nd – 10th January, 2015 19 /Activity 1st August, 20151 Prayer and Fasting Worship Night Conference2 Youth Trip 3rd January, 2015 20 Youth Camp 3rd - 10th August, 2015 6th February, 2015 22nd August, 20153 All night 14th February, 2015 21 Games with sister 5th September, 2015 churches4 Valentine Day Soiree 22 Prayer Bazaar5 Copacetic Night 28th February, 2015 23 All Night 19th September, 20156 Breakfast Meeting/All 6th March, 2015 24 Games with YAF 26th September, 2015 Night7 Easter Drama April, 2015 25 All Night 23rd October, 20158 Development Seminar April, 2015 26 Prayer Bazaar 7th November, 2015 (SHS)9 Prayer Summit April, 2015 27 All Night 27th November, 2015 17th April, 201510 All Night 1st May, 2015 28 Revival (Prayer) 22 - 23rd December 29th May, 2015 201511 Mini Prayer Bazaar June, 2015 29 Homecoming/Love Feast 26th December, 201512 Singles’ Summit 30 Secretarial and All year Admin13 Evangelism Month 31 Fellowship T-Shirts January, 201514 All Night 19th June, 2015 32 Fellowship Welfare All year15 Prayer Bazaar 1st July, 2015 33 Youth Choir All year16 Development Seminar 23rd - 24th July, 2015 34 Youth Library All year17 Elections July - August 2015 35 Youth Harvest 9th August, 201518 All Night 31st July, 2015

14 CROSSWORD PUZZLEAdvocate Door Lawgiver Redeemer Emmanuel Life Resurrection Almighty Everlasting Light Alpha and Omega Faithful and True Rock First and Last Lion of Judah Savior Amen Forerunner Lord Servant Apostle Foundation Shepherd Beloved Son Governor Lord of Lords Son of David Bishop Master Son of God Branch Head Master Son of Man Bread High Priest Vine Captain Holy and Just One Mediator Way Carpenter Horn of Salvation Messiah Wonderful Chosen Mighty God Word Christ I AM Morning Star Consolation Jesus Nazarene Cornerstone Judge Only Begotten Son Counselor King Passover Day Star King of Kings Deliverer Lamb of God Priest Prince of Peace Prophet

15 A PESEWA FOR MY THOUGHTS Being Faithful culled from FACINGLIFE.net \"be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life\" -- Rev. 2:10 (NIV) In the last book of the Bible we find this promise: \"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life.\"Columnist John R. Gunn writes, \"I'm glad the text doesn't read \"be thou brilliant or be thou eloquent or be thou successful.\" I'm glad it does not say, \"be thou a great preacher or a great writer or be thou a great statesman.\" If it said any of these things, most of us could never hope to attain the crown of life which it promises. All that God wants of us is faithfulness not brilliance, not eloquence, not success, not eminence, notnotoriety which attracts newspaper notice, but the quiet regular faithful performance of duty each in our appointed places. That is the virtue that attracts the eye of God. That is the virtue he promises to reward with the crown of life. God crowns men for being faithful, not for being great. Not many of us are endowed with brilliant intellect. Not many of us can hope to achieve high position and renown. We cannot all be men of affairs. Most of us belong to the rank and file and will never attract much of the world's attention, but however small the place we fill we can be faithful. The man the world acclaims is not always the one God acclaims. God says, \"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.\" To be faithful in that which is least will win as rich a reward as faithfulness in the greatest. There is something better than being famous and brilliant. That something better is faithfulness. Not genius, not fame, but faithfulness in the tasks God gives you is the crowning glory of life. Let us close with this promise from the book of Revelations: \"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life.\" “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude.” - Denis Waitley

16 FIGHTING OUR GOLIATH IN THIS CONTEMPORARY WORLD: A REVISITATION OF THE BATTLE BETWEEN DAVID AND GOLIATH. By Kweku Attakora Dwomoh“…… I will want to study hard and by God’s Grace become a pilot one day and move from therelater in becoming an astronaut…..”. “ HA! Retorted his teacher and parents: Do you think, you,an African and for that matter a Ghanaian will be able to go that far? How many can you countfrom our part of the world who have made it that far! Forget it! That and more are what the exuberant youth of our generation in their genuine quest in becoming great face from the older folks. This situation reminds of nothing more than the story of David in the book of 1ST SAMUEL 17 where David a young man at that time took on the challenge in killing GOLIATH of Gath, a philistine warrior from his youth who defied the armies of GOD. A critical look at this chapter reveals thatDavid had to actually fight three ‘GOLIATHS’. He fought the first GOLIATH in his brothers. Hisoldest brother ELIAB was angry andmocked at him when he saw David on thebattle field making enquiries about the battleall the warriors dreaded. He insulted himand asked him to go home since that was nothis place. These unpleasant words from hisbrother did not deter him at all. The secondGoliath David had to fight was the kingSAUL. In v 32. When David told Saul he willfight the Philistine, Saul ridiculed him andtold him there is no way he can fight such aman who has been a warrior his whole life.David describes his credentials for battle in terms of his responsibilities as a shepherd. However,even his victories over the wild beasts are not cause for pride, for it is God who was and will bethe deliverer (17:37). David affirms that the real issue in this conflict is the honour of the livingGod (17:36) and not to take any credit. The third GOLIATH he had to fight was the PHILISTINEWARRIOR- GOLIATH OF GATH. The man who had incited fear in the chosen ones of GOD. Theman who had men over 6 feet tall with bulging biceps quiver to the marrow and the man whoinsulted the LORD GOD OF HEAVEN’S ARMIES. Goliath’s words drip with irony as he is in facta ‘dog’, who like the lions and bears, will be destroyed by David. The security and presumptionof fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David'swords. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mean appearance andrms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lord alone. David emphasized in v 47 that GODDOES not save with spear or javelin- the Battle is the LORD’S.

17 Indeed David proved that God saves neither with spear nor with javelin by going to thebattle front by discarding the helmet and coat of mail from Saul and going with just a shepherd’sbag and five smooth stones. He indeed defeated the enemy without a sword but cut off his headwith the enemy’s own sword. The battle, actually was over before it begun. With very few gory details, the emphasis isgiven to the fact that the Philistine was not killed by the military methods of the Philistines, or ofSaul for that matter. We are told that it was not the sword that killed Goliath. He is dead beforeDavid takes up the Philistine sword. This completes a contrast with the ways of Saul, who soughtto conquer the Philistines on their own terms. Finally, the representative nature of this victory isestablished as the Philistines flee and their camp is plundered. The above story illustrates that God destined man to be great. The battles of this life aresuch that they are not fought just in the physical. As it is said, the spiritual realm is as real as thephysical. There was no way David could have defeated the Philistine- who was over nine feettall, wore a bronze helmet to protect his head, held a bronze coat of mail which weighed 125pounds, had a spear with a shaft as thick as a weaver’s beam tipped with an iron spearhead thatweighed 15 pounds as well as with an armor bearer who walked ahead of him carrying a shield-with the shepherds bag he had and just five smooth stones.As a matter of fact, he killed him with just a stone he hurledin his sling. The honour of the living God is declared. He isaffirmed as the true king who brings deliverance for hispeople. However, he is shown to do this through his people,who win the victory through their faith in God and despitetheir weakness. Life has always been a battle! There are so manychallenges one must overcome to get to the top and these challenges come in different formshowever the book of Daniel tells us that them that do know their God shall do exploits. It doesn’tmatter what you want to become, it doesn’t matter the fact that your parents may have neverdreamt of it. It doesn’t matter that you are the first to conceive such an idea. It doesn’t matter thatmen say that it is impossible and that they have all tried it and failed. As David wasn’t deterredby the comments of his ‘GOLIATHS’ but fought them squarely, so can we. Hebrews tells us thatJESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. What God did for hisservant David, He is willing to do same for us too only if we can demonstrate the faith that Davidhad in GOD. Go forth to battle with the faith of David, and the powers of darkness shall not standagainst you. Praise be to the LORD!

18NATURE’S GIFTS Culled from www.care2.comNaturally refreshing, coconut water has a sweet, nutty taste. It contains easily digestedcarbohydrate in the form of sugar and electrolytes. Coconut water is a clear liquid in the fruit’scenter that is tapped from young, green coconuts. Eating coconuts are excellent for one’s immunity. They are antiviral, antifungal,antibacterial, and anti-parasitic, meaning they kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.Because of that, if you consume coconut in any of its various forms (whether it be raw coconut,coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut butter, etc.), it can help treat some of mankind’s worst andmost resilient of illnesses such as influenza, giardia, lice, throat infections, urinary tract infections,tapeworms, herpes, gonorrhea, bronchitis, and numerous other ailments caused by microbials. Whether you’re eating the meat, drinking the juice, or consuming it as oil, coconuts are a delicious and nutritious source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It has tons of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as plenty of electrolytes. In fact, coconut water is known to have the same electrolyte levels as human plasma, and has even been used for plasma transfusions! The oil is excellent for keeping one young and beautiful. Its antioxidant properties slow down the aging process by protecting the body from harmful free radicals. You can put a little bit of coconut oil on your skin every day to keep it nice and smooth, as well as free from dryness. Coconut oil is also known to treatskin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. It also helps hair to become more healthy and lustrous. It’s a great alternative if you don’twant to use a leave-in conditioner. Eating coconuts also supports the development of strong, healthy bones and teeth. It doesthis by improving the body’s ability to absorb calcium and magnesium. It also preventsosteoporosis, a condition in which the bones become thin and fragile and lose their density. Thismakes coconuts a good, healthy alternative for those who are lactose intolerant, but still want tohave strong bones and teeth. Those who prefer a vegan diet can benefit from it as a good sourceof protein and fatty acids. When coconut oil was first brought to the U.S., there was a lot of negative hype about itbecause it contains high levels of saturated fat. People were concerned that it increased cholesteroland contributed to heart disease—but this is a myth. It actually lowers cholesterol and reducesthe chances of heart disease. This is because its fat content is simply changed into energy,lessening the likelihood of fat buildup in the arteries and heart.