Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | July 14, 2023 | Matthew 21:12-13 KEY VERSE: ¹²Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³“It is written,” he said to them,“‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it 'a den of robbers'" Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV). MESSAGE: In Matthew 21:12-13, we witness a profound moment where Jesus cleanses the temple. This event holds significant lessons for us as believers in Christ. The temple was meant to be a sacred space dedicated to prayer and worship—a place where people could encounter the living God. However, Jesus found it desecrated by money changers and merchants. Through His actions, He expressed His deep concern for the sanctity of His Father's house. Jesus' cleansing of the temple reveals His intolerance for hypocrisy. The religious leaders had turned the temple into a marketplace, prioritizing financial gain over spiritual transformation. Jesus confronted their hypocrisy and challenged us to evaluate our own lives. The temple was a symbol of God's presence among His people. Jesus' cleansing of the temple emphasizes the holiness of God and His expectation for reverence in His house. As believers, we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Just as Jesus cleansed the physical temple, He desires to purify and sanctify our lives, making us vessels of His presence and reflecting His holiness to the world. The religious leaders had reduced worship to a series of empty rituals and profit-driven transactions. True worship is not about external observances but about the condition of our hearts. Jesus invites us to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24), cultivating a genuine relationship with Him that extends beyond superficial practices. Jesus' actions were not destructive but redemptive. His desire was to restore the temple to its original purpose — a place of worship and encounter with God. In the same way, He desires to restore and renew our lives. When we allow Jesus to cleanse our hearts, removing the clutter of sin, He brings us back to our intended purpose—to glorify God and enjoy a vibrant relationship with Him. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The cleansing of the temple challenges us to examine the condition of our hearts and our places of worship. Let us foster an atmosphere of prayer, sincerity, and reverence in our lives and churches. Are there areas where we prioritize worldly pursuits over our relationship with God? Are we guilty of wearing a facade of spirituality while harbouring impure motives? Let us allow Jesus to cleanse our hearts from all forms of hypocrisy, inviting Him to transform us into authentic followers who genuinely seek His will. PRAYER: Dear Jesus, we come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging Your authority and holiness. We ask for Your cleansing presence to fill our churches and our hearts. We confess any hypocrisy, worldly distractions, or selfish motives that have crept in. Cleanse us, Jesus. Cleanse our churches of any practices or attitudes that prioritize material gain over worship, prayer, and genuine encounter with You. For your name’s sake. Amen THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | July 13, 2023 | Matthew 21:14 KEY VERSE: "The blind and the lame came to him at the temple and he healed them." Mat. 21:14 (NIV) MESSAGE: After driving away the exploitative money changers and the temple merchants from His Father’s House, Jesus performed public miracles of healing on the temple grounds. Some who are blind, and lame approached Jesus while He was in the outer area of the temple, known as the Court of the Gentiles. We know this because those who were disabled in this way were not allowed in the inner courts or the sanctuary (Leviticus 21:18). The fact that Jesus healed them in the temple implies two things. First, since they were no longer blind or lame, these people could now enter the inner courts. Instead of preventing them, Jesus made a way for them to participate by removing the obstacle that stood between them and the worship of God. He will soon do the same for those separated from God by their sin, all of us, by paying the price for that sin with His own life, making forgiveness and redemption possible (Hebrews 10:19–23). Second, these acts of healing demonstrated that Jesus had authority over the temple. He had the authority to drive out the money changers and to make worshipers acceptable to God by healing them instead of merely barring them from the entrance, as the Jewish religious leaders did. In the bustling atmosphere of the temple, where people gathered for worship and religious activities, Jesus' presence brought a transformative touch. The blind and the lame, who were often marginalized and excluded, found their way to Jesus, and He responded with love and compassion by healing them. The healing touch of Jesus in Matthew 21:14 reminds us that He is the ultimate source of healing and restoration. Physical ailments, emotional wounds, and spiritual brokenness are all within His realm of power. Just as the blind and lame sought Jesus for healing, we too can approach Him with our needs and trust in His ability to bring healing to every aspect of our lives. The fact that the blind and lame sought Jesus in the temple indicates their hope and belief in His ability to bring healing. Jesus’ response reveals His deep compassion for the marginalized and overlooked members of society. The temple, traditionally a house of worship and religious rituals, became a place of healing in the presence of Jesus. It is good and profitable to enter the temple where Christ is present – lovingly and humbly approaching Him. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Our places of worship, whether physical or virtual, should be spaces where healing, restoration, and spiritual growth can occur. Let us seek to create environments where people can encounter the healing touch of Jesus, both individually and as a community. Just as the blind and lame found healing in His presence, we too can bring our brokenness to Him, confident that He can heal and make us whole. PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the source of healing and still meeting people at the point of their needs. Please touch me and minister to my emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. Lord, make me whole that I may be a vessel through which your healing power flows, bringing hope and restoration to a broken world. For your dear name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | July 12, 2023 | Matthew 21:1-11 KEY VERSE: ⁹The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”¹⁰When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” Matthew 21:9-10 (NIV) MESSAGE: Matthew 21 seems to introduce us to the beginning of the last week of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus knew that the religious leaders would arrest Him, condemn Him, mock Him, scourge Him, and deliver Him to the Romans for crucifixion (Matthew 20:19). Yet He had the courage to enter Jerusalem publicly. This contrasts with His previous pattern of suppressing publicity. In Matthew 21:1-11, we witness the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, fulfilling ancient prophecies and displaying His identity as the long-awaited Messiah. This passage portrays Jesus as the King of kings and reveals an important aspect of His character—the Prince of Peace who comes bearing peace. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowd welcomed Him with great jubilation, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matthew 21:9). These words echo the ancient prophecies that foretold the arrival of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. The people recognized Jesus as the fulfilment of God's promises, and their exultant praise emphasized their expectation of peace and deliverance. In Jesus, the long-awaited peace of God's kingdom was dawning upon the world. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem carried an intriguing paradox. He rode on a humble donkey, a symbol of peace, rather than a warhorse, which was the mount of kings in times of war. This intentional choice demonstrated Jesus' purpose—to establish peace not through force or conquest, but through love, humility, and self-sacrifice. The true nature of peace, as revealed by Jesus, is not the absence of conflict but the presence of harmony amidst turmoil, achieved by surrendering to God's will and exemplifying His selfless love. The Prince of Peace brings us reconciliation with God, restoring the broken relationship caused by sin. He invites us to embrace His peace and receive the assurance of eternal life. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was a pivotal moment in His ministry, marking the fulfilment of numerous Old Testament prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. It reminds us that God's promises are always fulfilled in His perfect timing and that Jesus is the ultimate fulfilment of God's redemptive plan. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Who is Jesus in your life? Is He simply a prophet from Nazareth? Is He simply a good teacher? Is He Lord and Savior in your life? As we contemplate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, let us remember that He is the Prince of Peace who brings peace into our lives His entry fulfilled ancient prophecies, established a kingdom of peace, and reconciled us to God. May we embrace the peace that Jesus offers, allowing His love, grace, and mercy to transform us, and may we become ambassadors of His peace, sharing it with a world in desperate need. PRAYER: Gracious Lord, you are the Prince of Peace, whose arrival brought hope and peace to the world. I humbly come before you, acknowledging your authority and the peace you bring. Grant me the grace to be an ambassador of your peace. Help me to reflect your character in all that I do, that your peace may shine through me. Prince of Peace, guide me in the path of righteousness, for your dear Name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 11, 2023 | Matthew 20:31-34 KEY VERSE: Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:34 MESSAGE: It is very easy to take our blessings for granted, and not acknowledge that it is God who has blessed us. Sometimes, even when we have prayed and God has answered it. We somehow tend to think that things just happened and that "we were lucky." That is sad, and that is wrong! We need a stark consciousness that we prayed to God, God is faithful and able, and that God graciously answered our prayers. Our two blind men did not miss who the source of their miracle was. In a grateful expression of their blessing, we are told they followed the Master along the way. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Why are you alive today in comparison to those who died yesterday? Why has God given you opportunities that others did not have? Why has God blessed you with what you have as life and health and being? Is it not so you will follow Him in the way? Let's follow Him. PRAYER: Lord, please forgive me for the times I behaved as if it wasn't you who blessed me. Now I see and will follow you for the rest of my life. For your dear Name's sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 10, 2023 | Matthew 20:29-34 KEY VERSE: Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. Matthew 20:32a MESSAGE: The second part of the Lord's response to the faith outcrying of the two blind men was that He called them closer and asked them to know what they desired of Him. In case the Lord missed to know by His omniscience what the need of these two men was, He could certainly perceive that they were blind people, and ordinarily would desire some alms, or extraordinarily would desire the miracle of sight. God does not presume our needs, though He has all knowledge and knows very well before we bring our petitions what our needs are. God requires us to pray and ask for His intervention. Such registration of our requests affirms our faith that "God is" (Hebrews 11:6). It saves us from the misleading whisper of self and Satan that the answer to our prayer was a coincidence and a happenstance. Further, these requests underline our weakness and our reliance on God; they mark us as poor in spirit who inherit the Kingdom of God. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Sometimes, our problem is that we need to get to know what we need. If the Lord should ask what you need from Him, now, do you know what your priority need is? PRAYER: Oh Lord, how confused and uncertain I am at times concerning what to bring to you in prayer. May you guide my mind, and may the Holy Spirit help me to set my priorities and pray rightly. In your dear Name. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 9, 2023 | Matthew 20:29-34 KEY VERSE: Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. Matthew 20:32a MESSAGE: God is a good God, and He is more than willing to give us blessings upon blessings, for He cares about us. However, God invites us to become participators in His processes for our blessings. The two blind men by the Jericho wayside were obviously blind and no question about that. When their crowd- defiant and truth-proclaiming cries caught the attention of the Lord Jesus, He responded in two noteworthy ways. For this first part of the topic, let's take note of the fact that JESUS STOOD STILL. The Lord Jesus stood still. He stood still, and certainly, the crowds stood still. He stood still, and all noise was stilled all around (for everyone wondered WHY DOES HE STAND STILL?). He stood still because those poor wretched blind men mattered to Him. He stood still because He saw people who were thought poor but were rich in the knowledge of the King of the Kingdom, true citizens of the Kingdom. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: What is your knowledge base of God, and the Word of God? It matters in God's responses to you. When God sees how we see Him, then when we cry to Him concerning some matter, we can be sure that He will stand still for us. PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you stood still in time and eternity to come and die for me. Thank you that I matter to you so much today that you stoop to listen to my cries. Help me Lord to live in such a way that I will always draw your attention. For your dear Name's sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 8, 2023 | Matthew 20:29-31 KEY VERSE: The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Matthew 20:31 MESSAGE: Life's circumstances and experiences, society and trends around us have a way of trying to control us and regulate us as we seek to reach out to God or walk much more closely with God. We need the determination to hold fast to our faith and conviction and to push forward in our Christian beliefs, in spite of and because of the suppressive surroundings. The two blind men in our text had strong convictions about Jesus of Nazareth, which the seeing multitudes around the Lord did not have. They referred to Jesus of Nazareth as "Lord" and "Son of David" (verses 30 and 31). Both expressions were Old Testament references to the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Israel, God in human form, and the world’s Saviour! The blind men saw what the seeing around them did not see. And yet the blind-seers, (the spiritually undiscerning), tried to shout down the seeing-blind, (those without physical sight but who could really see). The main take from this reflection is the tenacity, and positive stubbornness of the two men. First, they shouted their conviction (verse 30) and then shouted out the more (verse 31). FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The flesh, the world and the Devil are united to shout you out of your Christian faith convictions and choices. Play bold, don't let them SHOUT OUT SOME MORE! PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, please guide me by your Holy Spirit into deep convictions of faith in You and Your Word. And when the forces of darkness try to shout me down and shut me out, please give me grace to disregard them, and to shout out the more. For your dear Name's sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 7, 2023 | Matthew 20:24-28 KEY VERSE: ²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matt 20:28 (NIV). MESSAGE: The natural way of humans is to seek to dominate, to domineer and to make others insignificant, and servants to us. The response of the Master to the Apostles in the aftermath of the Zebedee Petition shows that He saw this natural tendency working among His immediate followers, everyone wanted to be the first and most important so that all others will serve them. The Master taught them the Kingdom way; ²⁵Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matt 20:25-28 (NIV). The best example of how we should live as Kingdom citizens wherever we find ourselves, and especially when we are placed in leadership positions is to adopt the attitude of humble service to others, servant-leadership. To the unbeliever it is laughable and unthinking to talk about servant-leadership, indeed it is a contradiction of terms for the natural human. But to the Kingdom citizen, who realizes that it took the service of the King, by His incarnation, His life of simplicity and humility, His love for the lowly (children, women, lepers), His willingness to die, and to die on a cross. That humility and service is summarised in Philippians 2:6-11. It also shows that servant -leadership leads to exaltation. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: What is your orientation and attitude? How do you weigh the scales of pride and humility? Are you high-up in your mind and see all others as insignificant, only worthy of serving you? Revise any shortfalls in this matter, and determine to practice servant-leadership, always. PRAYER: Lord, I’m tempted to be proud, and domineering, at least in mind. I pray for forgiveness. Please help me to develop a heart and attitude like your willing servant-leadership. May I serve others, whether I am a leader or a follower. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 6, 2023 | Matthew 20:20-24 KEY VERSE: When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Matthew 20:24 (NIV) MESSAGE: There are many reasons why we get angry, and these reasons may be right or wrong. Cain got angry because Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God whereas his was not (Genesis 3). Jacob was angry because Laban was not straightforward in His dealings with him (Genesis 31:36). Moses was angry because of the rebellion of Korah and his followers (Numbers 16:15). There are many more cases in Scripture. We also get angry, but why, and to what end? In our text today the ten Apostles were angry when they heard of “the Zebedee Petition.” The question for our reflection is, what was the reason why they were angry? Were they angry because they were offended by the insensitivity of the Zebedee clan, their selfishness and utter lack of Kingdom focus? Or were they angry because they also were planning to, and would have made those lobbying moves in their own time? Maybe they were awaiting the arrival of their uncles, or some other persons close to the Lord to make their request for them. And then the Zebedees jumped in ahead of everyone? We must get angry with wrong behaviour and seek to call attention to what is inconsistent with the Kingdom of God. However, when our anger is a shrouded expression of our own sinfulness and sinful desires, then we must avoid hiding behind the Lord to vent our wrongness. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: When we are not able to get angry at wrongdoing around us it means that there is something wrong with our conscience. When we express anger at the wrongs of others, we must check ourselves to make sure that our motives are right, and that we are truly zealous for the Lord and His Kingdom. PRAYER: Lord, please help me to manage my gift of anger, and make it holy anger which corresponds with that above. May I be slow to get angry when my anger is selfish and does not bring about the righteousness of God. May I too be unsatisfied with what makes you angry, that I may truly share in the divine nature as a Kingdom citizen. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 5, 2023 | Matthew 20:20-23 KEY VERSE: "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them."Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Matthew 20:22 (NIV) MESSAGE: In the privilege we have to follow the Lord Jesus Christ as His disciples, we gain access to Him and to the Father, to present our desires in petitions, and He is gracious and faithful to us in answering us. However, there is a real danger of asking wrongly and asking without the Kingdom in mind. The Lord has just been speaking to the Apostles about His impending death and resurrection. It seems the minds of the Zebedees run fast forward and concluded that after the announced resurrection, the Lord Jesus would exert greater powers to overthrow the Roman colonial government and establish the long-awaited Kingdom of the Messiah. In that event they needed to secure their position as primary among the Apostles, possibly one was to be the Minister of the Interior and the other the Minister of Wealth and Natural Resources! It is to be conjectured that the idea was that of John Zebedee and James Zebedee and that Mrs. Zebedee, their mother, was brought into the action in order to bring a feminine motherly touch to the petition. Or was it that Mrs. Zebedee had been the originator of the idea, and as the power behind the throne as often is the case, had brought her sons into the plot as her front-men? Whichever way the request originated it was unthoughtful and insensitive. It was parochial and selfish; it was fleshly and unlike the way Kingdom citizens should reason. The Zebedee Petition did not happen only then. Today in God’s Church, there are people who think and act in a fleshly manner, politicise the Church, and must have the first place always. There is competition among Pastors, and this sometimes in the media space. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have we gone that far and that low, have we become members of the Zebedee family? We may not go that far, because we are decent, but are our thoughts and expectations of God selfish and unresponsive to others and to God’s Kingdom? Do you know what you are asking for? PRAYER: Lord, I may not always ask aright, and I ask to be forgiven for that. Please help my thinking and my behaviour. May I see the bigger picture and avoid narrow, selfish and worldly ways in my relationship with you, with the Church and with my practice of Kingdom citizenship. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 4, 2023 | Matthew 20:17-19 KEY VERSE: "¹⁸We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" Matthew 20:18-19 (NIV) MESSAGE: That Christianity is founded upon the death of Jesus Christ is a misstatement if it does not add the fact of the resurrection to complete the thought. The Lord Jesus announced His ordeal and His crucifixion, but He also announced that on the third day, He would rise from the dead. The Apostle Paul met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus and concluded that the One we killed could not be kept by the shackles of death. He had risen and demanded the allegiance of all, offered salvation to all and was in charge of His Church to grow it. That realisation turned the persecutor of Christians into a most powerful preacher of the Lordship of Jesus Christ as Saviour. Paul and the early Apostles of Christ included the fact of the resurrection in their preaching. We do not follow a dead Master, our Lord is alive and well, and He is in charge today. Jesus Christ is alive and well and will come back to rapture His Church and take us to be where He is with the Father. All this is true because, in the sordid prediction of His approaching humiliation at Jerusalem, He indicated that “On the third day he will be raised to life!" Thank God for the resurrection power that worked in Christ Jesus. When we suffer because of our commitment to Christ, let us not give up. After every Good Friday, there shall be a resurrection Sunday. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you facing challenges associated with your faith commitment and your Christian stance? Do not be dejected, God‘s plan shall bring you up again and make you rule over what rules against you now. May the faith in the resurrection of the Master be a reminder that when we die, we shall rise again to live with Him eternally. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I celebrate your resurrection. It gives me hope for my daily resurrection, and of that ultimate day when together with all the faithful departed I shall rise from the dead. May resurrection power be at work in me and make me more than a conqueror. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev. Enoch Thompson | July 3, 2023 | Matthew 20:17-19 KEY VERSE: "¹⁸We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" Matthew 20:18-19 (NIV) MESSAGE: The prediction of the soon-to-be accomplished betrayal, condemnation, humiliation, and murder of the sinless Son of God has often been attributed to the Jews, as Christ-killers. In the prediction of His passion, the Lord identified His killers as not only the Jews but the Gentiles as well. If the involvement of the Gentile Roman rulers was not enough in establishing Gentile involvement, the fact remains that it is the sin of all humanity that was paid for by the injustice that was to be done to the sinless Son of God. It had to take the joint effort of Jews (those covenanted in Abraham as God’s people), and the Gentiles (those not in covenant, and were considered outcasts of the privileges of God’s Kingdom). No human is without excuse, we killed the Lord of glory, whose death would give us life, though we knew it not. This is the reason to love the cross of Calvary and to adore the one who died on it. His death at our hands has brought us abundant life. Oh, the unsearchable wisdom of God, the treachery of the human heart, the complicity of Jew and Gentile. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Have we arrived at our guilt in the death of the Son of God? Have we repented of sin and turned from it, so we will not crucify Him afresh in our generation? Determine to admit our part in His death and invite all others to the life we all have access to in His death. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for my part in the scheme that took you to the cross, my part in the nails, the crown of thorns and a spear in your side. Thank you that you loved me enough to take the pain from me, and for me. Please help me to love you so much more, and to bring others to your saving grace. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!