Lifestyle
Abuja Cleric, Pastor Onoja Gives New Perspectives On Hope
By GWG Religion Editor
Abuja cleric, Pastor Sunny Onoja has tasked Christians everywhere not to be distracted by the wishful hope in the world system as they look towards the blessed hope that comes from God alone.
Delivering the Sunday message at the Hospital Chapel, National Hospital, Abuja, Engr. Onoja dissected the two dimensions of hope; the wishful hope from the world system and the Blessed Hope he said comes from God.
GWG.ng reports that the cleric spoke against the background of the distress in the land which he said had led many to anguish and sometimes to suicide.
Building upon other messages delivered from the same pulpit on the annual theme of the church, Living Hope, Onoja reading from Titus 2:13 tasked his audience to look on the blessed Hope as distinct from the hope that is now as noted in 1 Timothy 4:8.
While noting that many are quick to give up in the face of the competitive spirit in the world, Onoja said that God has the ability to recreate, substitute and even accelerate the pace of those who look up to Him.
“Sometimes you will think that you are lagging behind in something. I had a friend who went to school much later than his peers. When he graduated, his peers had (long) graduated and started working but because he trusted in God, what he began to do and to achieve was so tremendous that he overtook all those that graduated before him. So, God has the ability to accelerate.”
He likened God’s ability to accelerate to the Old Testament prophet who ran and overtook a chariot.
Observing that nothing is secret before God, he encouraged the congregation to know that even when men go to sleep that God is awake working for their good.
If you know all these things would it not be better to trust in God, he encouraged his audience.
“When people say I don’t know what will happen tomorrow but I have a God who knows tomorrow,” the cleric said in tasking the brethren to put trust in the God that holds tomorrow.
Listing facts about the future, Onoja said that God knows everything and that nothing is hidden from Him as he quoted Hebrews 4:13.
Secondly, quoting from Jeremiah 29:11, he said that God has good plans for His children.
According to Pastor Onoja, it is because God has a plan for our future that we should have hope irrespective of circumstances.
“Though God has a good plan for us, so many people, however, do not go into God’s plan for them. Israel was an example,” as he noted the self-will plan of Israel in sending spies to find out about the promised land.”
Noting the fallout from the espionage outreach, he said that the Israelites saw themselves as dwarfs before the giants in the land. He observed that the consequence of the decision of the Israelites to look unto their own plan was that they wandered in the wilderness until all those who did not walk in God’s plan died.
According to him only those who trusted in God like Caleb and Joshua entered into the Promised Land.
“If you choose your own plan based on your knowledge, you will face what you chose. One ability God gave us is ability to make choices,” the cleric said as he observed that God has given men the choice to follow Him or follow their own plans.
According to the cleric, many choose their own plans instead of God simply because of pride.
The man of God did a comparison of some people of old who trusted in their own plans and concepts as against the plans of God for their lives. He said many were moved into their own plans because of pride.
Pastor Onoja compared Samson who was moved with beautiful Philistine women to Joseph who was also confronted with the same situation but fled.
GWG.ng reports that Joseph was tempted by one of the most prominent socialites of the time but turned down her entreaties and had to go through a pit and prison to enter into God’s plan for him.
“God had arranged Joseph’s future and Joseph chose to follow that plan even if God’s design was to enter a pit, become a slave and go to prison, he (Joseph) chose that plan and at the nick of time God came to him.”
Drawing from Deuteronomy 30:19, Engr Onoja warned that the choices that men make will affect them and their generation.
“Whatever choice you make affects your future and whatever choice you make will affect your generation and your children. The choice you make is not just about you alone but your generation,” the cleric warned about the implications of choices on generations.
Pastor Onoja also said that God has promised to be with His children as a beacon for hope in Him.
“It is repeated severally in scripture that God will go with you. The going is about the future, trust in me. Take your steps, I will be with you.”
He compared the presence of God to invisible television and internet signals that is present but cannot be seen.
“Trust God and His Holy Spirit like a person. If we treat God like an abstract, then your future will run into crisis.
While noting that God has promised to guide us when we are confused, he said that sometimes the choices can be difficult to make.
GWG.ng reports that in a major revelation, Pastor Onoja said that when men trust God and appear to make what men may call wrong choices but that because they trusted in God that God is able to make what men call evil into good. He expounded on this as he drew from Romans 8:28
Quoting from 1 Corinthians 10:13, he said that God has promised to help His children when they are tempted. He affirmed that temptations are all about the children of God. He cautioned that temptations often flow from the inclinations of men but that the main injury is when people fall into temptations.
Quoting Martin Luther he said “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
GWG.ng reports that the service was interspersed with praise worship and a marriage thanksgiving by Mr John Idowu, the son of the presiding pastor and one of the pioneers of the teenage church.
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