ucf newsletter summer 2013

“�Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own�husbands, that even if some do not obey the�word, they, without a word, may be won by�the conduct of their wives,�2�when they ob-�serve your chaste conduct accompanied by�fear.�3�Do not let your adornment be merely�outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold,�or putting on fine apparel—�4�rather let it be�the hidden person of the heart, with the�incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet�spirit, which is very precious in the sight of�God.�5�For in this manner, in former times,�the holy women who trusted in God also�adorned themselves, being submissive to�their own husbands,�6�as Sarah obeyed Abra-�ham, calling him lord, whose daughters you�are if you do good and are not afraid with�any terror.�”�1 Peter 3: 1-6�(NKJV)�

Beloved,�

It is a pleasure to be writing to you in this Spring-2013 edition of�UCF�Quarterly�. I remain grateful to the editorial staff for their hard work,�which is evident in the consistent quality of our newsletter. I pray that�God almighty will continue to bless you as you dedicate yourselves to�His service.�

Those of you who are regular readers of�UCF Quarterly� know that my�writings in recent editions have focused on the men of our church and�the conduct that is expected of them as men of God. In the Summer-�2012 edition, I challenged them to�“�Man Up!!�”� and take their rightful�place as leaders in the home and in the church. In the Fall-2012 edition,�I wrote about�“�Why Christians should refrain from Alcohol�”�. While the�title of the latter write-up was gender-neutral, it was also primarily�focused on men rather than women.�

Today, I wish to turn my focus on our women for a moment, knowing�that if we hope to accomplish our goal of�“�Building a people and a�place to serve the Lord�”�, it is imperative that the building process�

include our womenfolk as well. It is in light of this that I am challenging�the women of our beloved church to�“�Cultivate Inner Beauty�”�. My�charge is predicated on the vital role that women play in the Christian�home and the Christian church, and the fact that without spiritually�mature women, no family or church will be all that God desires for them�to be.�

The writing of the Apostle Peter in�1 Peter 3: 1-6� is quite helpful in�identifying some of the hallmarks of a spiritually mature woman.�Though written in the context of marriage, it reveals profound truths�that are beneficial to unmarried women as well. It provides guidance to�the woman who desires to be married someday, and even for widows�who may someday be called upon to counsel other women who may be�experiencing difficulty in marriage. In essence, the Apostle Peter�charges Christian women to be submissive or respectful of their hus-�bands, even as he had charged Christian men to love their wives in the�preceding verses. He presents four (4) lines of thought as to why�women ought to be submissive to their husbands.�

In�1 Peter 3: 1-2�, Apostle Peter addresses�the power of a submissive�wife�. He challenges women to be submissive to their husbands because�a submissive attitude would enable them wield greater influence upon�their husbands than they could ever hope to achieve through nagging�and quarrelling. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he reveals the simple yet�profound truth that men are more likely to cooperate with women who�respect them than with those who nag and quarrel all the time. In fact,�a submissive wife is more likely to bring an unbelieving husband to faith�in Jesus Christ than the wife who refuses to submit. The Christian�woman should not view submission to her husband as indicative of�weakness, but rather as indicative of strength. Our Lord Jesus Christ�submitted to God the Father and even to the men who crucified him.�He submitted not because he was weak, but because he was strong!!  �

C U L T I V A T E I N N E R B E A U T Y �

IN THIS ISSUE�“GIVE IT UP TO YOUR FATHER!!”........................................... Pg 3�

How I became a Christian ................................................................. Pg 4�

Don’t let satan hinder you from corporate prayer........................ Pg 7�

Continued page 2�

Alone in a crowd.......................................... Pg 6�

A Mother’s Day Tribute............................. Pg 11�

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In�1 Peter 3: 3-4�, Apostle Peter addresses�the priority of a submissive�wife�. He challenges women to make the cultivation of inner beauty�their primary focus, instead of concentrating on the adornments of�outward beauty such as hair, jewelry and fashion. He defines inner�beauty as a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in the sight of�God. The idea is not that women should not be concerned about�outward beauty, but that they should be more concerned about inner�beauty, because God places higher value on a woman’s inner beauty,�kindness and self-restraint than on her style and fashion. Today, many�families are facing marital and monetary challenges because of women�who spend excessively on hair, jewelry and fashion while neglecting�their spiritual growth altogether. The spiritually mature woman culti-�vates her inner beauty through faithful prayer, study of the Word of�God and obedience, while still maintaining her outward attractiveness�with moderation.�

In�1 Peter 3: 5-6a�, Apostle Peter addresses�the pattern of a�submissive wife.�He challenges Christian women to be like Sarah, who�cultivated her inner beauty and, by faith, submitted herself to her�husband, Abraham, allowing him to take his rightful place as her leader�and the leader of their family. Even though Abraham was not always�right, she never saw his failures as a reason to withhold her respect for�him. She respected him and enabled him to develop not only into a�great husband, but into a great man of God as well. Today, as in that�day, many women see the failings of their husbands as an opportunity�to usurp authority and withhold respect. This attitude is unbecoming of�women of God, who ought to exercise faith and offer guidance to their�husbands with kindness and without rancor.  �

In�1 Peter 3: 6b�, Apostle Peter addresses�the protection of�the submissive wife.�He does so by explaining that the will of God is for�a woman to submit to her husband as long as�“(she) is not afraid with�any terror”�. The idea is that a woman is to submit to her husband not�out of fear, but willingly, out of faith and in obedience to God. Today,�many are concerned that by submitting to their husbands, women�would be granting men license to abuse them. The words of Apostle�Peter, corroborated by the Apostle Paul in�1 Corinthians 7�, reveal that�no woman is compelled to submit to her husband if doing so would�cause her to disobey God or put her life in jeopardy. While the Word of�God does not grant men license to abuse or terrorize their wives, it�clearly does not grant women license to dishonor or desert their hus-�bands at the slightest sign of difficulty or discomfort either.�

As I close, let me declare my great joy at the continuing�spiritual development of the beautiful women of our beloved UCF. Your�growing commitment to the things of God, as evidenced by your inter-�est in bible study and your willingness to serve in the house of God are�not lost on me. Keep it up and enjoy the fruits of blessing that our great�God has set aside for you!! Till next time,�ciao�!!�

With love and faith,�

Pastor Effiom�

Cultivate Inner Beauty contd....�

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The first four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship�with God. The remaining six instruct us about our relationship with our�fellow human beings. The first of these human-relationship commands�reads, "'Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long�in the land which the Lord your God gives you'" (Exodus 20:12).�

It is probably the only or one of the few commands in the Bible that�come with a promise. Give honor to your parents, and you will be a�person whose life is that of quality. This is the promise of God.  The�reason God includes this in His commands is that it runs against our�human nature. Our tendency, especially as children, is to fight authori-�ty, whether it be the authority of God or the authority of our parents.�Children always want to be free. They want to do their own thing, they�want to fit in the crowd, they don’t want to be different.   Children, may�I suggest to you that all you need do is look at all those old pictures in�your house with that person that resembles you or your brother, and�you will immediately realize that your daddy was once a child just like�you. The fact is, he has been there, done that. He already made most of�the mistakes you are trying to make and perhaps he already knows the�end result of the mistakes. If the truth be told, your fathers could tell�you instances when the things they got themselves into could have�yielded a different result, even death. It will therefore be the height of�foolishness that you will want to make the same mistakes that got your�daddy nowhere.   Children if you want to make mistakes, and you�definitely are bound to make some, please by all means try to make�new ones, and not the old, tested, and rejected ones.  Learn from your�daddy’s unprofitable mistakes.�

For you to grow into that wonderful adult God has destined you to be,�it is very crucial that you listen to direction. God has strategically placed�you with the godly father in your live to bring you up in the nurture and�admiration of the Lord.  So, Give It Up To Your Father!!  �

For your father to succeed with the responsibilities that the Lord has�given him, he needs your co-operation.   Do not complicate his life.� Remember that your godly father has your best interest at heart. It is�

his joy to see you succeed in life and to see you bring glory to the family.� I submit to you again, You should Give It Up To Your Father!!�

Someone wrote this piece about what kids say about their fathers as�they progress in age:�

4 Years: My daddy can do anything.�

7 Years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.�

8 Years: My father doesn't quite know everything�.�

12 Years: Oh well, naturally Father doesn't know everything.�

14 Years: Father? My dad is hopelessly old-fashioned.�

21 Years: Oh that man is out of date. What did you expect?�

25 Years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.�

30 Years: Let’s find out what Dad thinks about it.�

35 Years: Let’s be a little patient; let's get Dad's meaning first.�

50 Years: What would Dad have thought about it?�

60 Years: My dad knew literally everything.�

65 Years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.�

We are a society searching for a model father. And may I suggest to you�that they abound in great numbers here at UCF. Look around you, shake�the hands of the father (aka SUPERMAN) next to you and tell him�“Happy Father’s Day”.�

The Conclusion from our text today is this: Fathers, we need to help our�families live a Grateful Life by helping them to strive first for the�Kingdom of God and His righteousness. As Christian Fathers, we can�accomplish this through a thankful heart, a thankful focus, and a�thankful and transparent living. To cap that up, we must guide our�children to discover their God-given inner talents and help them to�develop all of those talents to their full potentials.  �

So Children as you can see, the job that God has given to a FATHER is�hard, so I say to you, Give It Up To Your Earthly Father or Father-figure:�be obedient, be teachable, be trainable, and by so doing you will be�giving it all up to Your Heavenly Father!!!�

“GIVE IT UP TO YOUR FATHER!!” –�(�Part 3)�by Deacon Adeolu Esho�This is the third and final installment of a three-part outline of the sermon delivered during UCF 2012 Father’s Day Celebration. The first installment focused mainly�on our Heavenly Father and His expectations of us as His redeemed children. The second installment focused on the responsibilities of our earthly fathers as expected�of them by our Heavenly Father.  In this final installment the focus is on how children could help their earthly fathers to succeed in fulfilling the herculean tasks the�Heavenly Father has charged them with.�

Congratulations to E.J Akeredolu on his graduation�

Picture :EJ With some well wishers after his graduation thanks giving service�

UCF Arlington page 4�

My name is Gani Olabode as you all know. My full name in the�Islamic language is Abdul Ganiyu which means slave of God.�Thank God today that I am no longer a slave but a child of God.�Most Muslims do not consider themselves a child of God but a�slave of God. My father was a hard core and a noble Muslim in our�community. My mother was born christian and she became Mus-�lim after she  married my father. It is a common practice in our�culture for a woman to convert to the same religion as her husband.�

 I was raised among forty-five siblings with a very strong Muslim�upbringing. We prayed five times daily, fasted in the month of�Ramandan, attended all Muslim rallies every Friday evening. We�also observed all islamic rites, culture and ceremonies.�

Growing up as a child, my siblings and I attended Arabic school.�This was where we learned how to read the Quran and study the�Arabic language. My father vowed not to send us to high school if�we failed to attend the Arabic school. In Arabic school we were�taught to memorize verses and translate them into our local�language.�

I attended a Muslim elementary school where every class was full�of Islamic teachings and lessons. My big break came when I�enrolled in high school. At the time, there were no Muslim high�schools around. But most of the high schools were either public�schools or Christian schools. I enrolled into a public high school�called Owo High School, where Christians were widely embraced.�It was a different environment for me because during morning�devotion we sang hymns and songs of praise. Morning prayers�were offered in the Christian way. Initially, I was not comfortable�with this practice but with time I got used to it. During my final year�in high school I decided to enroll in a Bible course that was offered�at my school.�

I was fascinated with the story, life and miracle of Christ. Later I�discovered that some life history of Jesus Christ was also men-�tioned in the Quran but in a different perspective. Jesus was�described as a messenger of God along with Abraham, Moses,�and others. However in the Quran they also dispute the fact that�Jesus is the son of God. The Quran states that God has no son�and God was not born of a woman. During this time, my limited�knowledge of the Christian faith did not make much of an impact�on my life.�

  Years later I moved to Lagos where I was invited to a small�Christian gathering. There were a few White people there, this�was like a crusade, and there I was given a small orange colored�New Testament Bible. I later discovered that the White people�were representatives of Gideon International. I held on to that�Bible for so many years. At this time my involvement in Muslim�activities were greatly reduced. I no longer prayed five times daily�or attended church.�

 I met my wife two years before I left Nigeria. After a few dates she�asked me if I was going to the mosques or attending a church. I�said no. She knew that I came from a very strong Muslim back-�ground but I did not know why she asked the question. I later�discovered that she was trying to find out if I still had strong faith�in the Islamic religion. When I came to the United States. I was�neither going to mosques nor attending any church. At the time,�there were no mosque or African churches around Dallas area.�

When my wife was about to come to the United States, she asked�if I knew of any Nigerian churches  around the Dallas area and I�told her I did not know, later she  suggested that I look around for�

a church home. When she came to the United states, there was a�church called Christ Apostolic Church that was recently founded�and she started going to that church. I did not attend the church�with her initially but I would simply drop her off and come back�later to pick her up. One day she asked if it was alright for me to�stay with her for one or two hours in the church. The following�Sunday I dressed up and went with her to church and that was�how I started going to church. We later left the church because of�the constant conflict among the church members.�

Few months later, we were planning a wedding and did not have�a church home. Mrs. Ronke Thorpe who was a member of the�CAC church at the time told us that she had a sister who was�attending a Baptist church in Arlington, she introduced us to Mrs.�Biola Adesulu and  Mrs. Adesulu then introduced us to Rev Omoni�who was the Pastor of the church. We started attending Rev�Omoni’s church and later had our wedding at the church. Remem-�ber that during this time I was only attending church just to please�my wife. I had not yet confessed my faith in Christ. In my inner self�I was struggling with many things and was filled with fears. I was�afraid of being the first child of my father to convert. I was afraid�of what they would think about me for converting. I thought  my�family might reject me or even cast me out. Many thoughts were�going through my mind at the time.�

 After years of going to church there was a revival in our church at�UCF. At the time we were at Cooper Street, I didn’t know what got�into me. As the preacher finished preaching, he made an alter call,�he said “if God were  to call you home right now, are you sure you�will make it to heaven, this is your best opportunity, He said forget�about your father or your mother, even your family. He said none�of them can save you, today is the day of salvation. Why don’t you�come and give your life to Christ. Immediately, my heart started�pounding, my hands and my legs were shaking and trembling�Unconsciously, I found myself standing up and walking   toward�the altar. The preacher asked my reason for coming forward and�I said I want to give my life to Christ. All the shaking and pounding�disappeared immediately. Tears of joy started running from my�eyes and my wife jumped up from the choir stand and the entire�church began to rejoice with me and my wife.�

Before the prayer was offered , Pastor Adakwa came out and�testified that he had been praying with my wife for almost ten�years for this moment. He said the Holy Spirit had done it and the�angels are rejoicing in heaven.�

I mentioned earlier that I was raised among forty five brothers and�sisters in a strict Muslim environment and tradition. I did not tell�you that today 42 of my brothers and sisters are now Christians�and the other three still remain Muslims. Also, all the children of�the three are all Christians. Today, the Muslims are the minority in�my family. We do not discuss any-�thing about theMuslim faith any-�more.�

Glory be to God in the Highest,�By Gani Olabode�

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O my fellow men and youth�Go through life in a frenzy and fury�Always somewhere to go or be�Never content,�Always in a hurry.�Stressing over that upcoming test�Sweating over bills�Seeming flying white flurries�Never stopping to take a breath,�Always engulfed with worry.�Now who of you�Can “add a single hour to his life”�Always flooded with weather so stormy,�Or can cease the reign�Of the most evil,�Killer, stealer, destroyer,�Encompassed in hatred�With a face so horny.�Instead cast troubles on the Lord your God,�Instead of taking on the troubles�O you with disposition ornery.�God will restore, bless, and give,�Not even requesting a dowry.�All he requires of us,�To try our best, to live a life so holy.�Not worrying and therefore proclaiming�His grace, mercy, and everlasting glory.�Once we are done�And Paul agrees we have ran the good race�To our lord satisfactory,�We ought to give him the greatest praise�Through testimony ‘bout the grace�In our worry-free lives’ story.�

Matthew 6:27�

By Bradley Osemwengie�

UCF Arlington page 6�

Alone In A Crowd….�

Peer Pressure, the weight of what we imagine to be a thousand�pairs of eyes willing us forward and onwards towards what is�inevitably going to end up....... a very bad decision.�

Peer Pressure is usually associated with youths but in truth, it is no�respecter of age. The family man pressured by the successes of his�shady neighbors to commit to a fraudulent means of livelihood, is�just as foolish as the teenager pressured into taking drugs by his�peers. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15.33 “Do not be deceived:�“Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken�stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.”�

At the back of our mind we know, we know we ought to stop, we�ought to stop right now; but like a fool mesmerized by the beauty�in the sway of a cobra, we often ignore the danger. We focus on�the fleeting futile adulation that awaits us at the other side of a�moral, ethical and most assuredly spiritual moment of weakness.�We are convinced we have to do this thing; we need the�acceptance of our “friends”. We need to avoid their judgment, not�to be found lacking. We fear that mocking laughter.�

When under the influence of Peer Pressure especially for young�adults, you can’t back down. You want to belong; you want so�badly to be a part of the “in” crowd. All the lessons you learnt at�church you hear as soft whispers, “you are a child of God”, “this is�a sin” but most times we are done listening to soft voices, only the�harsh cold light of truth can stop us.�

And here it is; Peer Pressure is the devil doing his best work!�

He is using the negative influence of your “friends” or peers to�persuade you, to convince you, to do that which, under normal�circumstances would be abhorrent to you.�

Examples abound everywhere.�

Just last month, two high school football players from Steubenville�Ohio, were found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl at a party. At�the time this crime occurred, most the kids probably did not give�much thought to the offense or the drinking or the abuse that this�girl was being subjected to via her pictures getting posted online.�

These two kids (please bear in mind that the football players in�question were kids themselves), will now carry the stigma of�walking around as registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives.�

Such is the repulsive negative power of letting oneself be influenced�by the bad behavior of others.�

One definition of Peer Pressure says it is “Social pressure by�members of one’s peers or group to take certain actions or adopt�certain values or otherwise conform in order to be accepted”.�

Yet the Bible tells us in Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man�if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul” and in Galatians�1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or�am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I�would not be a servant of Christ.”�

Thus it becomes clear that if what it takes to be “accepted” would�be something that would cause you to sin before God, it is not�worth the price.�

Dear Brethren in Christ, if you ever find yourself feeling pressured�to act or partake in something that goes against your beliefs as a�Christian, seek solace and strength in the Lord Jesus Christ.�

The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 2:9 “Then the Lord knows how to rescue�the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under�punishment until the day of judgment”. And in� 1 Corinthians 10:13, the bible says “No temptation has overtaken�you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let�you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will�also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”�

Let me repeat; “No temptation has overtaken you that is not�common to man.” There is no situation confronting you that others�have not experienced before. If God could give them the strength�to turn away and do that which is right, you too can put your faith�in God, for he will never forsake you.�

Edu Nnadi�

ALONE IN A CROWD�

UCF Arlington page 7�

As you know, prayer is powerful, for God said in Philippians�4:6; “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and�supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made�known unto God.” Maybe you say I pray, and I say that's�good. So if you pray, then what's wrong with joining a body�of believers and lifting that prayer need in corporate prayer?�  Corporate prayer can be powerful because sometimes�when we pray, the devil preys on our thoughts, and our�physical strength to stay alert during prayer time, but pray-�ing together leaves him at a disadvantage, because we are�praying together with a persistent focus. One thing true�about satan, he is not omniscient nor omnipresent, so he�can't be in all our minds at the same time. Amen!�

When we pray corporately, we lift our voices in one accord�praying to the Father on behalf of one another. We are�standing in the gap for one another, trusting and believing�that God will show Himself to be strong and mighty on our�behalf. Remember when Herod put Peter in prison, the�church came together to pray for his release, and it was only�after they had done so that God miraculously released him.�

We have many opportunities here at UCF to pray together�as a body of believers, but where are you?   Maybe you�believe the lies from the devil, which will do anything to keep�you from joining other believers in corporate prayer. You�see, satan also knows the power of prayer and it is his job�to see that you are not available to join other believers as�they pray to God for only the things that He can handle.�Satan uses many things to keep us from corporate prayer,�such as our jobs, our children’s activities,   lies about people�gossiping, church activities, our spouse’s wants or needs, I�lost the prayer line number, I don't feel good, and even I am�out of town. There are many other tricks the devil uses, just�to keep us away from corporate prayer time with God.�

I say stop being tricked by the trickster. You can join the�prayer line at work, just get an ear piece for your ear, dial�in and pray while you are working; our kids are always busy,�so rearrange your schedule to fit the prayer line, night vigil�and them. It can be done, if you have the desire because our�God can make anything happen.   Just have faith and the�desire and watch Him work it out on your behalf. It has been�stated that people can talk too much, but don’t let peoples’�short comings keep you from joining other believers to pray.�Yes, we are not where we ought to be, but we are not where�we use to be. As for church activities, those activities are all�on the calendar for the most part, so start preparing earlier,�because there are no church activities that start at 8:00 am.�and there are no activities that start before 12 noon after�night vigil. Stop letting your spouse hinder you from prayer.�We know that our spouses are our priority, but their physical,�mental or even sexual needs will not go unattended if you�prioritize your spiritual needs. Another trick from satan is I�lost the number.   Well, the number for the prayer line is on�

every church program and your best friend has it as well.�Also, it has been text to you, so why don't you save it in your�phone. The devil has a way of making us feel bad every time�before a prayer meeting but I say persist through the pain,�because once the prayer line, or night vigil is over your pain�will be no more, God rewards faithfulness. Another trick�from satan is the lie he tells us if we are out of town. Don’t�allow being out of town to keep you from the prayer line�because the prayer line is a conference call and if we make�conference calls while on business, why not make it on any�trip whether it is business or pleasure.   One more trick satan�uses on us is the idea of over sleeping. Well, if we set our�alarm clocks during the week, then let’s set it for night vigil�and for the prayer line? The good thing about the prayer line�being on the weekend is that you can go back to sleep!�

So, once again what is keeping you from joining us for our�corporate prayer time?   The answer should be nothing. As�believers, we should always pray, as it says in Psalms 55:17,�no matter when we pray, whether evening, morning, or�noon, the Lord our God will hear our voices.   This Christian�walk is not easy, but we should be our sister’s keeper and�help lift each other up where we might fall short.�

As I end this message, close your eyes and imagine with me,�what if during each night vigil, YOU invite and bring two�people and those two people invite and bring two people,�and so on, the church would be full of people crying unto�the Lord and praising Him together until midnight?   Just�imagine if each woman on the prayer line would invite one�person to join in on the prayer line and that person would�invite one person, the prayer line would be full of women�corporately praying unto God for the needs of our church�and family. Women of UCF, this does not have to be a�dream, but a reality if we become our sister’s keeper.�

WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME? WILL YOU JOIN ME IN�BECOMING A SISTER’S KEEPER?�

Don’t let satan hinder you from Corporate prayer�

By Sis. Kim Effiom�

UCF Arlington page 8�

UCF Arlington page 9�

Church members at�the building ground�breaking ceremony�

UCF Arlington page 10�

TEXT: JOHN 16:33�

The definition of trouble is not necessary since the word ‘trouble’�conjures up distress, fear, and persecutory delusions for many an�average person. INTRODUCTION: A tornado is a rapidly rotating�vertical funnel shaped cloud that destroys most things in its path,�thus, causing trouble to everyone and every place it lands. Tornado�Alley is an area the United States of America, where tornadoes are�most frequent, encompassing Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma,�Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Eastern Colorado. This area�is used to tornadoes so people who live there always have their�guards up and take steps to prepare. The tornado season is a�trying and troubling time in their lives as they brace for tornadoes.�Tornadoes generally destroy a lot of things and people. However,�the horizon after tornadoes leaves everyone wondering how some�people and houses are left untouched and unscathed while others�are flattened or shredded. The Text states, “These things I have�spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you�will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the�world.” We will be looking at some of the troubling trials Christians�face that distract and sometimes engulf their lives preventing them�from enjoying the Christian life despite Christ’s assurances and the�number of years they have been in the Church. Christ stated clearly�that we will face tribulations—troubling trials in this world. Thus,�this world is trouble alley. Since troubling trials are unavoidable�and unending, we will look at some modes of the trials and how to�overcome them.�Modes of Trials: Extra world, Underworld, Intra world, and�Intrapersonal. We previously looked at Extra world trials, however,�in this installment we will look at Underworld Trials. Installments on�the two remaining troubling trials: Intra world and Intrapersonal�are slated for future publications. (1). UNDERWORLD TROUBLING�TRIALS: Under means below or hidden. The mafia operatives who�have been described as underworld figures commit crimes of�murder, grand theft, grand larceny, robberies, burglaries,�racketeering extortions, etc Therefore Underworld describes Satan�who is below heaven and hidden/secretive. The satanic factor is�trying and troubling to relate to. Look at some of the mind�boggling theological attributes of Satan. In Isaiah 14:12-27: The�Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar is compared to Satan due to the evil�he perpetrated on God’s people. The Gospel as rendered by Dr.�Luke refers to Satan as the author of all evil (Luke 10:19) while Paul�refers to Satan as the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13).�Matthew adds that Satan is the evil one (Matt. 13:19). Thus�Christians who knowingly do evil are possessed by the same Satan�

that commands the mafia underworld operatives. John, who is�referred to as the disciple loved by Jesus Christ states that Satan is�a murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44). Hello, Christian,�have you thought of murder or murdering someone? Do you enjoy�lying? Well, Satan is a murderer and father of all lies.�Beware of being in love with worldly ways because Satan is�presented as god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and as the�prince of this world and a demon able to enter into a human body�(John 12:31 & 14:30 & 16:11 & 13:27).�

Satan, according to Paul is prince of the powers of the air, the spirit�that now works in the sons of disobedience. “And you He made�alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once�walked according to the course of this world, according to the�prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons�of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted�ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh�and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the�others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love�with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses,�made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),�6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the�heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:1-6). God is�omniscient. “Omniscience means all-knowing. God knows�everything, and His knowledge is infinite. It is impossible to hide�anything from God. Another attribute is the Omnipotence of God.�Literally this word means all-powerful. Since God is infinite and�since He possesses power, He possesses infinite power. Unlike us,�God never needs to rest. He gives power to His own. “He giveth�power to the weak; and to him that hath no might he increaseth�strength” (Isaiah 40:29). How can we comprehend or relate to this�deity who has all power including the power to make life and�wealth? Nevertheless, this is an unnecessary worry for a committed�Christian who depends on God’s power and has faith in Him.Let�us look at the third attribute, Omnipresence, which is not only out�of this world but is downright unrealistic to the human mind. This�term means “always present.” Since God is infinite, His being�knows no boundaries. So, clearly He is everywhere unlike us. The�final attribute of God we will look at is God’s Immutability. This�simply means that God never changes. The Bible says, “Jesus�Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The qualities of�God, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Immutability,�etc., make it hard for people who have no faith to relate to God.�Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Hence, the�

WE LIVE IN THE WORLD’S TROUBLE ALLEY FACING TRIALS THAT MAY�DEFEAT SOME CHRISTIANS.�

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Underworld troubling enigma like trap of this world!! King Saul’s�UnderWorld troubling trials led to his disobedience and God’s�subsequently adjudicated death sentence. Obviously, lack of faith�in God led King Saul to seek a medium. “When Saul saw the�army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled�greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not�answer him ………. Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a�woman who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of�her.”And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who�is a medium at En Dor.”(1 Samuel 28:5-7). King Saul went to a�medium (something like a psychic or tarot card reader today) to�get the answers he was looking for. This was expressly forbidden�in the laws of God ((Leviticus 19:31) and Saul knew it, but he was�looking for comfort more than he was willing to wait on God. It�is clear that this pattern of Saul’s life eventually led to his undoing�(1 Samuel 28:15-19). See also God’s warnings that He’ll cut off�those who prostitute themselves to seek mediums and familiar�spirits (Levi. 20:6). We therefore, must heed God’s Words that we�consecrate ourselves and be holy (Levi. 20:7), and remember that�King Saul and his 3 sons were wiped out after Saul saw a�medium. Saul succumbed to Underworld trials which eventually�led to his undoing and becomes a warning for us not to seek out�people, mediums or familiar spirits who claim to have�omnipotence and omniscience as their license to spread the�gospel of their powers not the Gospel of God. God and God�alone is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and immutable: It�is better to be insecure in the silence of God than to try to fill the�void with outside voices. Wait upon the Lord, yes, wait upon the�Lord. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;�They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and�not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:31).Yes, we�need God in order to overcome the Satanic underworld forces of�

evil and destruction.. We learn from Paul through the 6th chapter�of one of his Prison Epistles, Ephesians that we must be strong in�the Lord by putting on God’s whole armor that we may be able�to stand against the wiles of Satan because we are wrestling�against powers and rulers of the darkness of this age who are�spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places. IN CONCLUSION:�Those who live in sin are children of Satan, the underworld king.�However, when we became Christians we rejected sin and the�Underworld god but we know from history that no king�relinquishes his kingdom without a fight. Do you really believe�that Satan would leave you alone? The trials we face are a result�of Satan trying to win us back. The Apostle Peter warns us to be�alert and sober because our enemy is not a person but Satan�which is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone�to devour. The Underworld forces of Satan overtakes people who�perpetrate evil. Do you think that the brothers who killed and�maimed hundreds of people at the Boston Marathon in April�2013 are evil? How about the men who flew four Aircraft into the�World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in 2001? Do you�think they were in their right mind, the mind of Jehovah God? No�way!! They were all overtaken by Satan, King of the Underworld!!!�FINALLY: Just like tornadoes cannot be prevented, underworld�troubling trials cannot be prevented either. We must be vigilant�and submissive with the knowledge that God is ready to provide�a refuge for us. Christ reassured, “In Me you may have peace. In�the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have�overcome the world.” Total surrender to God is the ultimate�solution to Satanic Underworld troubling trials!�

Rev. Edmund Chinaka�

In light of the significance of the day, we the men of United�Christian Fellowship have deemed it necessary to gather our�collective thoughts in expressing a word of appreciation to our�Women, our sisters, our mothers and our better halves. I strug-�gled in my effort to find the genesis of this widely used term “Better�Half” in an attempt to use it as one of the corner stones of this�tribute and It took me several hours of gallivanting through the�internet before settling down to realize that everything I was�slaving around the web to find was right there in the pages of my�Bible.�

I mean, what could be a more appropriate tool to use in giving�tribute to our mothers than to point our attention back to the word�of God? And I am pretty sure that all Bible students in our midst�can testify to the fact that we see various examples of the lives of�exemplary mothers in the Bible lived out in the lives of various�women in our congregation.�

Examples of mother’s like Eve, who suffered a terrible grief at the�loss of her son Abel, yet in spite this tragedy, Eve went on to fulfill�her part in God's plan of populating the Earth. Without a single role�model for dealing with such tragedies, she hung on to her calling�to become the mother of all. And so it is with some of the mothers�in our church, in dealing with loses of off-spring, loss of business,�separation from spouses and yet we witness them staying true to�their calling of serving the Lord Jesus Christ and His church.�

We have mothers like Sarah, the wife of Abraham, Who for the�longest time was barren. But yet at God’s appointed time she�

conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a�good wife, a loyal helper and builder with her husband Abraham.�And I use Sarah this morning to remind those future mothers in�our midst that your blessing of the womb is coming, that it might�not come when you want but we have a God that is never late in�coming through with his blessings.�

We have mothers like, the mother of Moses, who through her faith�in God set her baby adrift in the Nile to avoid him being killed in�the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys. And we bear witness to�similar faith today in our mothers sending our children to schools�every day in spite of all the tragic news we hear on a daily basis�from various schools across the nation. And just like in the suc-�cess experienced by Moses and how he was used mightily as a�liberator of God’s people, we also bear witness to the faithfulness�of God in the lives of our children especially in this season of�graduation, and in spite of the dangers of the world around us,�they continue to progress through high school and college to�become instruments of God In taking our community to another�level in the culture that we live in.�

I am talking about Mothers like Abigail (described in 1 Samuel�Chapter 25) who took some bold steps to save her family from the�wrath of David. And so it is with several mothers in our church.�Mothers who continuously take bold step to keep their families�intact and save their families even in spite of husbands, like some�of us, who continuously put the family in jeopardy like Nabal did in�the Bible.�

A Mother’s Day Tribute�

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I am talking about Mothers like the virtuous woman described in�the book of proverbs 31 who like the Bible say;�

·� Are hardworking business minded women,�Loving, comforting and caring�

·� I am talking about Mothers who are strong�and are women of dignity�

·� Mothers who are full of Godly wisdom in�giving counsel to their children.�

·� Mothers whose children rise up and call�blessed�

·� Mothers who, we the husbands boast of�and praise on a regular basis. They are�women of dignity worthy of our praise, our�love and respect.�

·� And I will like to ask all the men and chil-�dren in the congregation today to join me�

in applauding them, we should applaud�them, we owe it to them.�

-Of course we could go on and on but I just want us to all�recognize that we have some class-act mothers in this church.�

-We often don’t give you the recognition, respect or the accolades�that you very well deserve, but we, The men of UCF, refuse to let�this special day go by without letting you know that wherever and�whenever we fall short in giving you these recognition, we encour-�age you to understand that the mighty God that we serve, the�Omniscient God, the all-seeing and all-knowing God of Heaven�and Earth knows and see your significance in our community in�our church and in your respective homes�

-And our sincere prayer is that, He, as He alone can, will continue�to keep you strong, healthy and productive for many more years�to come…….Amen�

UCF Men’s Fellowship�