ZION TRAIN - Thanks, thanks, thanks

“Thanks, thanks,

 We give you thanks

For all you have done

We are so blessed

Our souls have found rest

O Lord, we give you thanks”

With the lyrics of the song above, the stage was set for a worthwhile experience last Sunday at the Church of the First Born (The Third Temple).

The songs kept coming from one to another in low medium and high tempo depicting a thrilling rhythmic peculiarity.

 To the brethren it was not only a unique fellowship session but also highly fulfilling one. A number of reasons accounted for this.

First, it was not planned or announced to any of the brethren before the day.

Secondly, these rejoicing moments started with a girl of about three years, the youngest in the assembly, who craved for the microphone and when she received it sang;

“Baba, Baba, Baba,

Baba, e she o Baba,

E she o Baba,

Awa   dupe Baba”

The song (in Yoruba) is translated thus:

“Father, Father, Father,

Father, we thank you Father

“             “        “         “        “                                                                                                                                                                                      We are grateful Father”.

This was how all the children led the fellowship in thanksgiving, one after the other as the atmosphere was drenched by the tangibility of God’s awesomeness. Expectedly the young ones and adults took their turns. “In the days of thy power, your people shall be willing”. And so it was that none present  at  the   meeting  who  did  not  express his  or  her  gratitude  in  song  to  the Lord,  God  Almighty.

Its uniqueness also manifested in different manners. For instance, no one was restrained to a specific number of songs. As some rendered three or more, so were those who stopped at one. Nonetheless, the blending of one song with the other and the sustenance of the ambience was almost beyond what anyone could explain.

Apart from the above, the songs being punctuated by changes in beats and percussion ignited all hearts so much so that the voices began to sound as one in a highly enthralling worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The atmosphere was both electric and terrifying with some brethren on their knees and some lifted their hands up in humble adoration to the Lord Most High. “He is the One who gave it all” to save us from sin and death and quickened us to live forever in Him.

It was clearly noticeable among brethren in this fellowship that they were neither moved nor mindful of finesse, grandeur or the science and art of music but being motivated by the atmosphere of freedom to express their appreciation to the Lord.  At a juncture, one of the brethren reeled out the content the first verse of Psalm 75, “unto thee O God, do we give thanks, for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare”. Instantly, this scripture was turned to a worship song in a more refined lyrical format:

“We give thanks to you O Lord

  We give thanks

  For your wondrous works declare

  That your name is near”

It could not be mistaken that emblem of the Spirit of God was upon the fellowship even in all segments.

A resounding message on “dealing with the nature of goat” in man capped the day’s event.

Pastor Wole Olakunle revealed that the focus of the Holy Spirit now was exposing to each person the areas of weakness or imperfection so that we might be made conformable to the (sinless) nature of Christ.

With reference to the book of Leviticus, chapter 16, he explained that God demanded that Israelites or the people of God should use goats for sin offering because sin nature is as stubborn as goats.  The two goats are to be offered at the feast of Atonement which is the only time the high priest enters into the Holiest of all symbolizing divine union. A day is coming when man will be one in God and with God. The event is scheduled on the earth at the feast of Atonement. God did not scheduled man to die and go to heaven to experience this. The experience is here for the prophetic Issachar’s who will take God at His word, believe all the words in the Holy Scripture and not water it down with mental reasoning and the wisdom of the earth.

For the two goats, a lot will be cast, to determine the one for the Lord and the other becomes the scapegoat. The one for the Lord is offered for that purpose while the scape goat is taken out of the camp and released into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man. The scapegoat would not return to the camp forever. The first goat stands for the proprietary work of Christ on the cross which gives access to freedom from the guilt of sin, and forgiveness of sin.  The second on the other hand, represents the complete removal of sin from our body (the temple, the camp) just as the goat was led out by a fit man never to return again. A time is coming, he said, when sin (scapegoat) will be bundled out by the Holy Spirit (the fit man), never to return again.  

(Read more about this in this blog  www.sukkotcall.blogspot.com, on the teaching titled “The second goat part 1-5, for better understanding)

The ultimate assignment of the Holy Spirit is the complete removal of sin.

    
   8. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:

9. About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me]; 10. About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer; (AMP)

                                                                  John 6:8-10