Pastor Matthew Idowu

Let me gist you small...

Hmmm.... yesterday was Sunday and coincidentally my birthday. A weekend-long prayer retreat was what heralded my birthday o. See, the program ended in the early hours of Sunday, yes my birthday. You guessed right.

So many people must have set their alarms in a rush to see whose call, chats, message, wish or prayers would get in first.

Oooooh! Wait o! Did I mention that two former colleagues had bumped in on me mid-week with special gifts to celebrate with me. Two wonderful souls that made the surprise celebration worth the while. We were treated to some sumptuous jollof rice and semovita with a verified vegetables. Fish, turkey and chicken made it to the pre-celebration finals list too.

That was a distraction sha, let's continue...

People I never believed that they know my birthday were among the people who gingered me and sent early calls and chats too.

By the way, church was more like prepared for me and when the people in unison burst into happy birthday song for me with lots of prayers that garnished it, I was so humbled.

Several platforms/groups on social media turned up and lit the light of celebration and you all made me feel so special...

Hmmm, the youth whether consciously or deliberately had invited me that same yesterday evening to their special combined cell fellowship which was a dinner set up. My beloved, what more could anyone ask for from the blessed people I'm privileged to have.

Did you just asked where was my immediate family in all of these? Wait now, make I put finishing touches to the gist nah...

See o, they patiently waited for me until all that was over while they had presented me with sumptuous lunch earlier o. As we attempted to drive home, I was led to a corner where we picked grilled fish and with some bottles of refrigerator-imprisoned red grape fruit juice to round off the night!

Now, you see why it was difficult for me to acknowledge and reply to the floods of wishes, messages, stories, status updates, missed calls, chats, posts etc. that you all sent in love to celebrate me. I certainly do not take all of your goodwill for granted and had deliberately written this long epistle to let you share in the understanding of how stressful it would have been to read all the long wishes and reply individually. Anyway, if you you have shared in the stress by reading it this far and you are among the first twenty people to comment "Glory to God" plus just one comment of yours in the comment section below, I am also willing to share a token of five hundred naira call card or data with you just so that we can solidify our thanksgiving to God.

I know you all are the best gift God has given me and I'm proudly grateful to God.

Please take this as my acknowledgement of your prayers, wishes, gifts, etc you sent to celebrate me.

I love Jesus and I love you too.

Thank you so much!

The best RIFLE to confront life is still the BIBLE!

May you always win with Christ. Amen

Are you ready?

🔥🔥🔥
13 DAYS TO GO
𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐑!
Embrace your divine calling, cast aside the chains, and join us in reclaiming the fire that has slumbered for far too long.

Picture a world where your roars reverberate through darkness, where your spirit ignites like a constellation against the night sky.

The battle is won, the dawn is near, and the lion-hearted arise.

Be counted among them!

🔖🔖🔖
```Register via this link:https://bit.ly/nyc23```

Jesus on my mind!

Getting to my page, I was confronted with the question, "What is on your mind"? A familiar question, right?

And Philippians 2: 5 - 8, has been ministering to my mind and got my focus for a better part of today as I mediate on the word of God and admonition:

"5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

The consciousness of Jesus that made him humbled himself and became obedient is something big on my mind.

How much conscious have I become of my frame, fashion and fame that I have lost the capacity for humility and obedience in God's presence?

Have I become so conscious enough of God like Isaiah to see my need for more holiness and sanctification? How often do I see myself as unfit but made complete by grace to serve this great God?

My craving is to become conscious of myself in the fashion of a husband and a father and with humility and obedience fulfill my God given roles not minding whether my reputation is robbed in the process.

In me lies a desire to completely yield and totally surrender all of me and my will in exchange for the Father's will.

For then, and only then, would HE highly exalt and elevate me to sit in honour in high places with Him far above principalities and powers.

Are you also conscious of how much humility and obedience you need in order to be fulfilled in that new life or situation that God has allowed you to arrive at? It may be a point you never expected now in your journey. It may be a moment or role that will rob you of your hard earned reputation, fame or wealth in a manner of speaking. However, God's will must be done.

May we receive grace to truly and totally surrender to the will of the Father. Amen.

Still, it's Jesus on my mind!

"What's on your mind?"

NOT ONLY THAT!
(The Factor that Makes the Difference)

It's the first day of the month of July today. Not only that, it's the beginning of the last six months of the year. Not only that, it's the beginning of the 3rd quarter of year 2023! Not only that, it's the day the Lord has made hence, we rejoice and are glad in it.

Surviving the first two quarters and first six months of the year was not easy but we made it.

Permit me to show you the secret David knew and shared about his winnings in life. Come with me to the book of Psalm 33 and we read first verse 16 and 17:

16"There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength"

As important as a host of soldiers are to a battle, there's more to winning or losing! Mighty men and skills with military might are needed but not only that determines who conquers. You have a good degree already but not only that determines how well your future turns out. You have a good family and very good support base to launch into the future but not only that is required for your success. You have a good job with a six-figure salary still, not only that will guarantee anything for you.

Hmmm! Here's lies the secret that David shared. Daniel applied it in Babylon and it worked like magic for him and he became the cynosure of every eye in the Palace and a signature for true success. Now, here it is:

"Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33: 20 KJV)

The God factor is critical and it is obtainable by waiting on the Lord. It's a guarantee for divine help and shield from all the devouring arrows of the enemy. After every man has been fully formed like Adam the only vacuum God sees is that of help! Since it was discovered in Adam, it exists till date in all human - a vacuum for divine help. The help everyone needs after preparation and being battle ready to face life lies with God and just as HE provided the help meet for Adam, HE still provides for those who wait on Him.

To wait for God is to not run ahead of Him. It is to not take counsel or decision without involving God. It is to trust God that He is never late on any issue and that whatever He has promised you, He will bring it to pass. Don't give up on God! It is to stay and not stray from His presence. It is to pray!

Isaiah said that "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40: 31 KJV)

As you wait on the Lord in this month and beyond, you will find timely help. You will enjoy unprecedented lifting. You will gain wings to fly and soar beyond imaginable altitudes and shall be shielded from every evil arrow that devours in Jesus name.

Happy New Month

I'm Pastor Matthew Idowu. I love Jesus and love you, too.

The Power of Consistency (Part 2)

"For in so doing..." Remember the scriptural quote?

Just in the early hours of today, 15th May 2023 the news broke that our own (never mind, I love being possessive with success and successful people), Nigerian HildaBaci was announced to have broken a Guinness World record in marathon cooking cook-a-thon! A tweet notification on my phone I settled in the office drew my attention to the feat of the beautiful chef. And my curiosity was to ask who is Hilda Baci aloud in my open office. The chorus answer was expected and the fascinating thing about the answer was the fact that she has been consistent with cooking and online presence prior taking on the challenge!

Rebecca (in the Bible and the wife of Isaac), did not displayed any culinary skill but just consistency with fetching water until she impressed Abraham's chief servant by fetching water for his camels to drink to satisfaction! (Please research online to know how many gallon of water one camel would need to drink to its satisfaction).

Never despise your days of little beginning. Your consistency at what you are doing will soon turn out to a mass of efforts to produce outstanding results.

Now that you know what cooking and fetching of water had done to change the life and results of others, what else do you want to consider as irrelevant or invaluable in your hands?

Whatever your hands finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9: 10). Singing, playing an instrument, teaching, talking, praying, reading, running, jumping, drawing, writing or playing an instrument, etc., just be consistent at it and keep improving yourself until your gift makes a way for you and your diligence makes you to stand before kings and queens.

Your aim is to be the best at what you do by making yourself better one day at a time and the world record will be for you to break one day and soon, too.

Congratulations to Hilda Baci. You are the next!

Happy New Week.

I am Pastor Matthew Idowu. I love Jesus and love you, too.

The Power of Consistency (Part 1)

As you retire into your weekend, you must reflect on the things you have done consistently during the week in order to predict your outcomes.

Here's a scripture that God spoke with me about a few weeks ago, which I also shared with my family during one of our morning devotions recently:

"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head" (Romans 12: 20 KJV)

Just three words jumped at me in the whole verse. "In so doing!"

Then, I began to ponder on those words as the Holy Spirit inspired meanings into my heart. Outcomes are measured by what we do consistently!

Results don't manifest on the basis of what we do once or twice. They do overtime with persistence and consistency.
Not what you did! But what you keep doing!

What positive thing did you commit yourself to doing through the week? Energies we invest in one-off stuffs will produce momentary feelings of happiness which may not last long. But to have outcomes and impacts you must keep at it and the result comes out huge in due season.

It may seem boring reading but don't quit, keep reading. It may seem difficult to stay longer in prayer but keep at it. Keep memorizing those scriptures. Evangelize more. Love more

"For in so doing" you will have the right outcomes. Do something positive consistently this weekend that will produce great result for you in the coming week.

May you have the right and expected results in Jesus name.

Have a lovely and result-oriented weekend ahead

I am Pastor Matthew Idowu I love Jesus and I love you, too

"For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you." (Leviticus 26: 9 KJV)

This week, God's covenant shall be established for you. Dryness is rejected and reproved for your sake. You shall be fruitful. You will be productive and you will increase in all ways. Your joy shall be multiplied in Jesus name.

Happy New Week

Happy New Year.

I observe that you likely have expectations, resolutions and revelations of God's purpose and what you desire for your life in 2023.

Please know that after God the next thing you need is DISCIPLINE in order to achieve the lofty goals. We are reduced to charlatans in the field of success when discipline is lost. Discipline is an integral part of your character. While on my personal retreat and meditation for the new year, I evolved a code that will remind me of the word, DISCIPLINE, which must be reflected in all ramifications of my life.

Discipline therefore is:

D-Doing
I-Inspiring
S-Stuffs
C-Consistently
I-In spite of
P-Pain or pleasure
L-Lucidly
I-Inherent in
N-Negative
E-Environment

Spiritual, economic, marital, social etc. environments might be hostile against you but keep doing positive and inspiring stuffs that will aggregate into success for you.

Read that new book, keep to your prayer schedules, make that important call, learn that new skill, express love, bend your knees in intercession, keep helping others and do all the positive stuffs even when it seems like giving up.

No excuse for failure. You will succeed in Jesus name. It's your year of exceeding fruitfulness.

I'm Pastor Matthew Idowu. I love Jesus and love you too.