News from Ghana: July – Sept 2024
Extracts from Oliver’s Diary –
21st September –
God willing next month October, I have the calling to start the children’s work in my home town, Ashanti Effiduasi in Kumasi. My few weeks of staying there I saw the need to reach out to the schools and form leadership clubs. I strongly believe an effectual door has been opened for me there. My God is in control of the affairs of all my adversaries. In Jeremiah 1:19, it says they will fight against me, but they will not prevail for the Lord is with me and will deliver me. Some where in 2012 I visited there to works among the schools, may the open new doors of opportunities to the schools. Please support me with your prayers on this.
27th August –
When I was leaving for Kumasi this morning, when I got to Juben, I saw a white saloon car coming on the opposite lane. Suddenly his right front tyre got blasted, and could not control the steering, moving the car to the right side and hit a bike rider injuring him badly. I was thinking if the left tyre got blasted, it will mean the car would have headed straight at me, the Lord be praised. They were Muslim couples with three children. They were visiting a relative at Effiduasi, so I decided to postpone my trip to Kumasi to see the mechanic and drive the children with their mother to Effiduasi. The woman was slightly injured, but the children were okay. I give all the glory and praise to God. He is our shield and defender, and we rest on Him and we go not forth alone against the foe, but strong in His strength and safe in His keeping tender.
21st August –
Pastor Moses’s wife Hagar, have been handling the Children Ministry. They always sing inspirational songs before the preaching of the Word of God. Pastor Moses who is not feeling well, and has not seen any significant improvement so we pray for a quick recovery.
I have also given the elders of the church the opportunity to share the word of God on Sundays. So far none of them have received the call to be a minister. Some of the elders are very good materials for the pastoral ministry but I believe it takes the call of God and not man.
Last two weeks Sunday, I preached from Daniel 11:32b. After giving the prophetic setting of the text, I stressed on the importance of knowing God. Because in times of difficulties, troubles and storm, it is the people who know their God will be strong and do great exploits.
Last Sunday, my wife Comfort who went for a health seminar, spoke for about ten minutes on high blood pressure prevention. After her talk, I preached for about 15 minutes on “Life in the Spirit” and my text was from Romans 8:14. I used other related scriptures to support the message.
It’s my prayer that we grow in grace and in the Knowledge of God. That we grow into the likeness of Christ. Amen!
During the rainy season, the church encountered flood, where most of the church instruments got damaged. In all that, the Lord gave us the wisdom to solve the problems. We thank God for His wisdom.
Schools are resuming God willing, middle of September.
30th July –
Facilitator: Hajia Alima Sadia Abubakari a Senior social development officer at EKMA social welfare and community development.
School(s):
Theme: Leadership
Summary: Leadership is service to the people and the young generation needs to be groomed to change the narrative in the future.
When opportunities are present, young people should embrace them and do their best. The qualities of a good leader, types and styles of leadership were discussed. The next topic is to discuss some of the leaders Ghana have had.
Facilitator: Rev Oliver Ossei-Gerning
School(s): Nana Brempong
Theme: Act on what you hear so you can withstand times of trouble
Scriptures: Matthew 7 : 24 – 27
Summary: It is not enough to hear the word of God. You have to put them into action to be strong and come forth victorious.
Facilitator: Madam Lamisi
School(s):
Theme: The Power of Thought
Scripture: Philippians 4 : 8 – 9
Purpose: This message is to help the students understand that filling their mind with things that are True, Noble, RIght, Pure, Lovely, Admirable and Excellent will shape their life, relationships, and their future.
Also to let them know that negative thoughts, worries, and fears that control their minds will lead them to failure.(Phil 4:6, 2 Tim 1:7)
Facilitator: Madam Dorothy
School(s):
Theme: God’s Good News Team
Scripture: John 14:9
Summary: The essence of unveiling Jesus Christ to the world was discussed with the students. How most know Him as a great religious leader whereas He is God, the supreme being. Let us get to know Him better thereby preaching Him better.
Facilitator: Madam Lamisi
School(s):
Theme: Living as a Light in the World
Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16
Purpose:
- Just as light illuminates the world, this will teach them how to strive to be a positive influence on those around them.
- To let students understand that just as a lamp is meant to be placed on a stand to give light, they should use their talents and abilities to benefit others, rather than hiding them.
- Students will understand that when their light brights, the world will see the love of Jesus in them.
Facilitator: Madam Ruth Cobbinah
Schools:
Summary: Students were taught the importance of social media like using it for research purposes, online learning and sharing of ideas. They are also educated on the threats that social media posses which includes how it can be addictive, and how it can be used to spread misinformation. After the discussion, students gained great understanding into socisl media.
Facilitator: Mrs. Comfort Ossei-Gerning
Theme: Unforgiveness
Summary:
When wrong doings are not forgiven, the grow into being like a cancer that hurts us.
Story: A slave that was owed another slave had his debt forgiven. But he met wouldn’t forgive his colleague even as he was forgiven his. For this reason his master took it hard on him.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Facilitator: Sir Theophilus Mercifield
Theme: Go and The Lord be with you. 1 Sam 17:37.
School: Tanokrom MA Primary.
Scripture(s): 1 Sam 17:37, 45-52.
Summary: We discussed the story of David and Goliath and learnt few lessons from it. It was nited that Saul told David that “go,and the Lord be with you.” Also, David didn’t go in his strength or that of the armor that was offered him, he went with the power of God. Acknowledging God’s help in his previous battles with lions and bears. Our main takeaway was that we should trust God in all our doings and not on our strengths.
21st July
Rev Oliver’s Sunday Message
Purpose: To strengthen the faith of the members in the word of God and Christ.
Lately, there have been a lot of false teachers who are unsettling the faith of people on social media etc. Avraham Ben Moshe, who used to be a member of the Methodist church says things like Jesus is not the Son of God and the Bible was written by just ordinary people.
My message was to let them know that, a man without the Spirit of God is spiritually dead (Eph 2:1), spiritually blind (2 Cor 4:4) , and have no strength to save himself (Rom 5:6), therefore spiritual things are foolishness, to them. (1 John 2:6).
Rev. Ossei went on using Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well, Nicodemus and Saul of Tausus. To show them that an encounter with Christ is actually transforming. You can’t encounter Christ and say such blasphemy words, or believe it.
No one knows the Son except the Father and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him (Matt 11:27). So these people need the revelation of Christ.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. -1 John 2 : 19
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. -1 Corinthians 2 : 14
Prayer points:
- Let’s pray that God will expose these false prophet and their teachings.
- Pray that Christians will have passion for God and things of God.
- We thank and praise God for seeing us through another academic term. Schools are vacating this week. We pray that every message shared with them through the term will be fruitful.
- Pray for a peaceful election as we near the general elections for Ghana and that God will Himself appoint a leader for the country who will transform the country to a better one.
- The church is organizing a 3 day prayer meetings that God will revive His work and spiritually awaken His People
