‘He raised us up together…’ Ephesians 2:6

Followers of Christ we’re intimately connected in the Spirit. We are each a living stone connected to other living stones, and God keeps working on us until we all fit together: ‘you… are being built into a spiritual house…’ (1 Peter 2:5 NIV). God sees only two categories – saved and lost. He’s not hung up on denominations, races or socio-economic distinctions: ‘…you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28 NKJV). When you become a member of God’s family you pledge allegiance to every other member. That means loving, supporting and encouraging them. When the Israelites were about to take the Promised Land, two of their tribes wanted to settle where they were; they didn’t want to go out and fight with the rest. But Moses challenged them: ‘…”Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?”‘ (Numbers 32:6 NKJV). So they came back into unity and said, ‘We will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance’ (Numbers 32:18 NKJV). They couldn’t enjoy their legacy until everyone shared in it. Walking in the unity of the Spirit means you can’t fully enjoy your health while your brother or sister is sick, or fully celebrate your success while they are struggling. There’s something about receiving God’s blessing that, when fully understood, makes you want to say to others, ‘The God who brought me through, will bring you through too!’ And you’ll work and pray towards that end. When we’re raised up together, divisions will be healed, we will be conformed (become similar in character) to Christ, and the world will begin to take us seriously. Lord, hasten the day!

Taken from the UCB booklet

Valentine is here,( love now and always)
By Herbert Mtowo
Beauty and the Breast
Read Song of Solomon 8:10 I [am] a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.
Read Proverbs 5:18 Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 Like a loving deer and a graceful roe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be intoxicated always with her love.
The body of a woman is such a unique piece of creation most men need to learn to cherish and appreciate it, with zeal and appetite than jump to bed with every woman at the slightest opportunity. I strongly believe most men struggle to comprehend the beauty of the body of the women in their lives, the body of a woman can never be boring to behold, love touch and esteem. I believe there is a demand, mandate to faithfulness on men and women on this generation, but especially men cause I strongly believe that most men don’t understand this, that’s why some don’t enjoy watching the beauty of the body of the woman in their life. Love is God`s gift to this generation. We are to love and not abuse the women in our lies, there is no excuse for violence whether verbally, physically, psychologically and emotionally

What is it about a woman’s breasts that make them so special? Is it perhaps the fact that as a baby we found in them comfort, satisfaction and security? It is difficult to tell, but the fact still remains. There is a power in the breasts that affects any man. Why is it then that many women, as they mature and their breasts begin to show, tend to hide them away instead of showing them forth proudly? Is it a sinful thing for a woman to display the assets that the Lord has given to her? Certainly to do so in a way that stirs up lust and wrong desires in a man is not something a Christian woman should be doing. For a married woman this part of her body is reserved especially for her husband. On such occasions like the valentine’s day others experiment to indulge in what is not theirs, its always good to maintain zero grazing, by this I mean, you should be satisfied to eat in the green fields which are yours than lift up your eyes to what is not yours. To those who are going through struggles in their relationships and marriages, I advise you to seek God and involve Him as sure partner. But at the same time do all you can to ignite the flames of love again, don’t be roommates or housemates but be friends and lovers. Take time to build your relationship and marriage to greater heights and have valentine love spark throughout the year and in your lifetime. God made women beautiful and lovely for a purpose; take time to look back and thank God for the gift of being able to love.
There is beauty in and joy in loving the woman or man God has given to you, and enjoying each other’s body is good and honorable. For the single woman, it is one of her greatest beauty assets, and a shapely figure which displays the curves of her breasts is one thing that will surely draw attention from members of the opposite sex. It is the way God made us. For those who are married, you should never try to put down the importance of the woman’s breasts. And as a wife you should not see your husband’s desire to fondle or caress your breasts as something simple. It is a very profound thing. This act alone, like kissing, can bring a unity between a husband and wife in an almost magical way. If done correctly in tender love, it can be a very satisfying experience which greatly heightens your love making. For a man, the very act of caressing his wife’s breast can bring forth a deep satisfaction that can melt away his cares and make him feel like a little baby again, resting securely in his mother’s arms. It touches a deep need that many other things cannot do. And it can take place without a word being said. For a woman, there can be both a sensation of pleasure if her breasts are sensitive to being stimulated, and a sense of intimacy. When a woman lies in her husband’s arms as he caresses her, she can experience a sense of protection and belonging, as she lies securely in his arms.

The woman in the Song of Solomon expresses her delight at this experience in the following verses:
Song of Solomon 2:6 His left hand [is] under my head, and his right hand embraces me. Song of Solomon 8:3 His left hand [should be] under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.

But the passage that expresses clearest the effect that this has on the man, is the one that says: “be intoxicated always with her love.” This wonderful part of love making is better than getting high on alcohol. And it is something that a husband and wife should be enjoying frequently. For many men, the experience is one of having an occasional sip of wine. This will never ever get you to a place of being intoxicated. For many women, it is an uncomfortable experience, because they feel ‘used’ by their husbands instead of loved. Why not learn to flow together in this. Imagine the wonderful experience if you both consider each other. The man is tender and loving as he caresses and fondles the breasts of his wife. The wife allows herself to bask in the pleasure of his touch.

As you do this together you will learn to meet each other’s needs in a special way that will draw you closer to each other than ever. How often should you do it? Whenever you desire – as long as you are not in public, or you might draw the wrong attention. Love is a wonderful Gift from God, let’s give it without reservations. Have a wonderful valentine, enjoy it and thank God for the wonderful gift of love.

‘…tell… [your children]… the mighty things I have done…’ Exodus 10:2

It’s not enough to escape your past. Rather, its power over you must be broken, otherwise it’ll chase you the rest of your life. When you break away from something that keeps trying to recapture you, it’s crucial to get victory over it – otherwise you can’t move forward and enjoy the blessing God has in mind for you. It’s jarring to think something’s over only to find it isn’t. But remember, it was God who permitted Pharaoh to pursue Israel all the way to the Red Sea. Why? For two reasons: first, ‘…that I may show [you] these signs of Mine…’ (Exodus 10:1 NKJV). God wants you to see that when you put your trust in Him, obstacles and opposition mean nothing. He wants this experience to be a ‘landmark memory’ you draw faith from when you face your next problem. Second, ‘…that you may tell… [your children]… the mighty things I have done…’ (Exodus 10:2 NKJV). You don’t have to live under Pharaoh (satan’s rule) any more. Like the Passover, when the blood of Jesus was applied by faith to the doorposts of your heart, your status changed. You’re no longer a slave but a child of God. The generational curse is broken. Your children can now grow up under God’s blessing. Abuse, alcoholism, anger and abandonment may have been the story of your past, but it’s no longer the truth about your future. God can solve your problem in different ways, but sometimes He takes you through the Red Sea so that when you get to the other side you can look back and see Pharaoh and his armies ‘dead on the seashore’(Exodus 14:30 NKJV) and know the battle is over!

Taken from UCB booklet

‘…be sure your sin will find you out.’ Numbers 32:23

David’s ‘one-night stand’ with Bathsheba turned into a long-term wipe-out. In Psalm 32 we read about the effects of sin on David. In the aftermath he felt guilt, shame and even physical symptoms because he wouldn’t come clean with God. But his story doesn’t end there. After being confronted by the prophet Nathan, he repented. After a year of hiding his sin, David came to his senses and sought God in brokenness of spirit. If you want to know how to come back from sin and failure, do what David did – fall on your knees, open your Bible at Psalm 51 and pray, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin’ (Psalm 51:1-2 NKJV). If you aren’t sure what repentance means, you can offer this little prayer: ‘Lord, I’m sorry for my sins. Forgive me in Jesus’ name. Amen.’ True repentance begins with confession, which means to agree with God that what you did was wrong and needs to be made right. David prayed, ‘Against You… have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…’ (Psalm 51:4 NKJV). Genuine repentance means acknowledging that your sin is first and foremost an affront to God. It makes no excuses. It says, ‘This is my problem and my sin. I didn’t have to yield, but I chose to. I can’t blame it on anyone else.’ Do you need to come back from failure, or are you dealing with someone who does? This is where it starts.

Taken from UCB booklet

John Grace

In the distance I hear a current flowing through the air. This gust of wind, picking up steam, is increasing. Soon it will become an all-out hurricane!! A mighty, rushing wind of water blasting through the dry and dusty deserts of this world!! It will immerse them with a flood of Holy Ghost revival, sweeping through the earth & changing the very landscape of the planet! The hurricane has reached nearly full velocity, but cannot as yet break through. A great dam stands in the way of complete engulfment by the Holy Spirit. This dam is no less than the church of God Himself!
Beloved saints, hear me! We are on the verge of the second (and final) Pentecost! An explosion of “dunamis” so great, it will shake the very earth itself!! But it cannot break upon the earth until the Church of the Lord Jesus has removed the obstacles barricading this holy barrage. Hear me. What accompanied the original Pentecost must again accompany the second Pentecost. We must be in the place of prayer. Not just any kind of prayer, though. Listen to Luke’s account: “All of these (Jesus’ disciples) with their minds in full agreement devoted themselves steadfastly to prayer (waiting together)..” (Acts 1:14).

1) Devoted prayer
2) Steadfast prayer

They must be fully dedicated to waiting upon the Lord and seeking His face (full, committed intercession). Equally important along with this type of prayer, is the spirit in which it is prayed. It is a prayer of FULL AGREEMENT! In other words, there were no independent, egocentric agendas. There was but ONE agenda-God’s!! The disciples were in full, united, God-centric agreement. They were of one heart, one mind, and prayed with one united spirit. We must remember this and return again to this same apostolic spirit. If we don’t, then the waves of spiritual refreshing cannot break through. The obstructing dam, hindering the crash of reviving floods, is disunity. It is also unbelief. Tear down the obverse barrier!! Reunify, beloved ones! Return again to the apostolic spirit that launched a global revolution called the Church! God is desiring with all His heart to pour out a flood of revival upon this desert wasteland, but WE, His Body, have become obstructions to this desire. God forbid!! It is time to reverse this repressive way and, by our unity and total faith in God, usher in the second Pentecost. Are you ready? Are you willing to die to your own ideals and plans? Are you ready and willing to take up for the cause of Christ Himself? The last great surge of souls awaits! Will you continue to be a hindrance, or will you, by the hammer of prayer, faith, and unity help rip open this dam and let the waves of the second Pentecost flood through? I implore you, by the grace of God, to consider these words. Then, with all my heart, I urge you to act upon them!! May the God of grace be with you! Amen!!