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Join us for a Festive Divine Service with District Apostle Martin Rheinbeger on Sunday 23rd August,2026.📍 Kobina Island...
23/08/2026

Join us for a Festive Divine Service with District Apostle Martin Rheinbeger on Sunday 23rd August,2026.

📍 Kobina Island,Ilashe. Amuwo- Lagos

Join us for an encounter with God through Soul lifting word, inspiring songs and in an atmospere of love and joy.

Connect and invite others !!!

🔴 Watch Live Here: https://youtube.com/live/AUa8NWMGsvs?feature=share

PRESSING ON BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THE WAY“Don’t be afraid. Just believe!” Our annual motto for 2026 calls on us to trust in ...
20/08/2026

PRESSING ON BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THE WAY

“Don’t be afraid. Just believe!” Our annual motto for 2026 calls on us to trust in God. District Apostle Elie Mukinda from the Democratic Republic Congo-West shows how simple that can be.

Trusting is a choice we make constantly every day. Confidence implies surrendering ourselves to the goodwill, abilities, and credibility of another person. Even in simple daily activities, confidence remains a true resource. Otherwise, life would be extremely stressful.

For instance, no one would board a plane, asking the pilot which university he attended, how many supervised flights he has completed, or even how many unsupervised flights he has flown. No, we simply board the plane with the assurance that we will arrive. That is confidence.

Instinctively, we have learned to trust the weather, the stock market, banks, scientific predictions, and governments. And yet, here and there, it sometimes happens that one or another of these sources is not one hundred per cent reliable because their projections have not materialised as expected. However, our confidence in the expertise of these sources is rarely shaken, and generally, we are even inclined to understand their fallibility.

In contrast, God is infallible in His love, His goodness, His knowledge, and His omnipotence. His promises and His word are always certain and trustworthy. “God is trustworthy” is a fundamental tenet of our faith, subtly woven throughout the Holy Scriptures and our lives.

When we trust Him, we reach the point where we realise we do not have answers to all our questions, but we move forward. We do not necessarily understand or know everything, but we move forward. Because we know the One who has all the answers, and we surrender ourselves to Him. This is confidence, an important dimension of faith.

A nice illustration is of Abraham, the father of faith. Suppose he had been asked sometime after leaving his father’s land, “Where are you going, Abraham?” He would have answered, “I do not know, but I am moving forward because I know the One who knows, and I know that I will arrive.” Similarly, while Abraham was traveling with Isaac to Moriah to offer the sacrifice, Isaac asked him, “Where is the sacrifice?” Abraham’s response was, “God will provide,” meaning: “I don’t know, but I know the One who knows: God. He will provide.”

Ultimately, regardless of external and natural circumstances, those who trust in God experience a life of peace, serenity, and constant joy deriving from this sense of security. Scripture uses several images to illustrate this; they are sometimes compared to a tree planted by the water (Jeremiah 17: 7–8), sometimes to a mountain (Psalm 125: 1). Another striking allegory is that described by Isaiah: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40: 31, NIVUK). Confidence in God makes their strength inexhaustible, whether they fly, run, or walk.

FROM THE DEPTHS INTO THE ARMS OF GODThere is no way out of the abyss by our own strength. But God reaches out His hand t...
20/08/2026

FROM THE DEPTHS INTO THE ARMS OF GOD

There is no way out of the abyss by our own strength. But God reaches out His hand to us. “For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.” (Psalm 130: 7 excerpt).

There was this young man who was not watching where he was going. And he fell into a cistern, several metres deep. Chief Apostle Helge Mutschler spoke about this on 5 July 2026 in Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The young man wanted to climb out but kept slipping. So he cried out for help.

Crying out from the depths:

This is more or less what the author of the psalm experienced. “He was somewhere in a deep hole, and every time he tried to climb out, he failed,” the Chief Apostle said. “But he did the only right thing: He cried out.” – “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord,” it says in Psalm 130: 1.

The psalmist’s problem: “He is a sinner and knows only too well: no matter what I try, I cannot get out of this hole by my own power.” But now the Bible text from the divine service comes into play: “For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.”

Even at the lowest point:

“What does this Bible verse have to do with us?” the Chief Apostle asked, before answering: “It’s very simple: I myself and all of you are sinners, and we are in a deep hole.”

One need only look at the first:

commandment: “I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods before Me.” And then we need to ask ourselves the question: “Has God truly been my absolute priority over the last few weeks and months? If not, then I am a sinner.”

Calling out, but in the right way:

“The fact is: we are in a deep hole, unable to climb out on our own.” But: “Do not get used to sin. Do not compromise with sin, and do not make yourself a victim by blaming others.”

“The only thing one can do is to cry out to the Lord Almighty. He is a God who listens. He is a God who cares deeply for you.” But we must not stop at a mere cry for help. “Do not hide, but present yourself before Jesus Christ and tell Him openly: ‘I am a sinner; please forgive me.’”

“And then—only then—will you find yourself before a God who is full of love, full of mercy, and full of forgiveness.”

God listens and comes to our aid:

“There are souls—many souls in the beyond—who sit in a deep pit, in a prison, unable to help themselves,” emphasised the Chief Apostle. For them, too, the following applies: “There is a God who listens to you. He is interested in you.” You matter to Him.

“Who told you that this God is a God of punishment?” No, that is not true. He is a God of mercy and forgiveness.” And: “The heart of God is big enough for every single soul that has ever lived.”

“Change is possible. The arms of God are open,” Chief Apostle Mutschler said. “And then we can wait together with our brothers and sisters in the beyond.” As Psalm 130: 6 puts it so aptly: “My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning.”

18/08/2026

We are not alone, God is with us 🙏❤️

THE PATH THROUGH THE OPEN DOORHow can we reach heaven? Or, to put it another way: how can one achieve perfect harmony. T...
16/08/2026

THE PATH THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR

How can we reach heaven? Or, to put it another way: how can one achieve perfect harmony. The brother of the prodigal son shows how not to go about it. In a divine service, the Chief Apostle shows how it’s done.

“I want to go back to my father.” With this thought in mind, the prodigal son set off to return home after he had reached rock bottom. This is the story told in Jesus’ parable in Luke 15. The prodigal son was welcomed home by his father more warmly than he could ever have imagined.

So far, so familiar. But Chief Apostle Helge Mutschler focused on the behaviour of the elder son during a divine service he conducted in Karlsruhe, Germany, on 21 June 2026. The young man heard and saw the joyful celebration his father had prepared, yet he stayed outside feeling hurt and resentful.

Shutting oneself out:

This is a warning to every believer: “This feast is an image of heaven: fellowship between Father and Son, fellowship among all those present, unity in diversity. Perfect fellowship in love,” the Chief Apostle explained before asking the decisive question, “How can one enter this feast? How can one enter heaven?”

Certainly not with an attitude like the elder brother: “I have always kept all the commandments, while the other one squandered everything,” he complained about his younger brother, the prodigal son. “I am a man of honour, and he is not. You have never given me anything, but he receives everything.” The Chief Apostle summarised this mindset with two expressions: vain conceit and selfish ambition. Such attitudes undermine relationships and destroy unity.

Showing dignity and consideration:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,” Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2: 3–4 to a divided congregation, urging them, “but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

A scandal: at the time, the Greek word translated as humility referred to the servile attitude of slaves. But Paul, the Chief Apostle explained, turned this value system upside down by pairing it with the word for “esteem”. “Even the smallest, most insignificant, perhaps the weakest person: ‘Honour him as if he were a king.’”

Nor does this mean neglecting one’s own needs, he explained. “We should not only focus on ourselves. Rather, we must also look out for the needs of others.” That seems quite doable, doesn’t it?

The fear of missing out:

“The longer you think about it, the more obvious it becomes: it is impossible to keep this commandment through our own efforts.” The crucial question, then, is: “Why do we act this way? Why do selfish ambition, vain conceit, and self-preoccupation take hold of us?”

The answer, the Chief Apostle explained, is surprisingly simple: “Fear. The fear of not being seen; the fear of missing out—a deep sense of neediness.” The antidote to fear is described in 1 John 4: 18: “Perfect love casts out fear.”

Not by our own efforts:

“And this love is not our own. It is the love of Jesus Christ. Only His love can dispel this fear,” the Chief Apostle emphasised. “And that brings us to the very heart of the matter: the point is not to try harder to become humble. The point is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ.”

In the verses that follow—in what is known as the Christ Hymn—Paul describes Jesus’ journey from divine glory to a simple life as a human being, culminating in His death on the cross. “When we look to Christ—especially to His humility—something happens within us,” explained the Chief Apostle.

The path through the open door
“The fear that drives us begins to fade. The need for recognition loses its grip.” Why? “Christ sees me, Christ loves me, Christ gives me all I need.”

In closing, Chief Apostle Mutschler returned to the image of the feast: “The gate of heaven stands open. The decisive question, however, is: Will I remain outside, trapped by selfish ambition and pride? Or will I enter, carried by the humility of Christ? We have a standing invitation. The way is open.”

USING ORDINARY WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE EXTRAORDINARY He really did have a preaching style all His own: Jesus Christ. He wa...
16/08/2026

USING ORDINARY WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE EXTRAORDINARY

He really did have a preaching style all His own: Jesus Christ. He was able to impart the deepest truths using the simplest, shortest everyday stories. However, most people were missing one key ingredient for understanding the mystery and message behind the parables.

Again and again, Christ speaks in parables, which are prominent elements of His sermons. The imagery is taken from the everyday lives of the people, and corresponds to the experiences of His listeners. Who has not lost their last penny or some other item of value and desperately searched the whole house for it? The Parable of the Prodigal Son is no exception either. At that time, it was customary for young men to settle accounts with their fathers and move to the big trading cities to build independent lives there. Most people were able to identify with the everyday experiences reflected in the parables.

Why parables?
However, these parables are much more than everyday stories: they are always intended to convey a basic idea. Jesus made use of these images in order to preach to the people about the kingdom of God. His listeners were to understand what it meant when He said, “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1: 15). But not everyone was capable of—or interested in—digging deeper to look for the real message.

The disciples themselves asked Jesus why He preached His gospel in such an encrypted form using parables. In response to this, Jesus made reference to the prophecy of Isaiah (Matthew 13: 10–17). The latter spoke of people with dull hearts and closed eyes who were hard of hearing (Isaiah 6: 9–10). It is in this manner that he described human lethargy and stubbornness.

Rejecting the divine message:

Moses and Aaron had similar experiences when they repeatedly found themselves standing before Pharaoh, trying to obtain the release of the people of Israel at the beginning of the Exodus story. Again and again, we read that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, or became stubborn, and that he was not open to Moses’ message.

So it is that the notion of “hard-heartedness” or stubbornness describes more than mere unbelief. It is the deliberate rejection of the divine message and the will of God. It is a persistence in modes of conduct one considers comfortable, namely one’s own complacency and indulgence. It is a direct refusal to pay heed to the need for change.

Faith is the key:

Perhaps that is precisely why Jesus speaks to the lives of His listeners. He tries to shake them up, to bewilder them, to astonish them, and to create “Aha-moments”. They are not intended to understand the kingdom of God as an abstract truth, but instead connect it with their own lives. And so it was that the listeners were repeatedly confronted with the decision of how they wanted to deal with these parables. This field of tension is aptly described in the letter to the Corinthians as pertains to the message of the cross: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1: 21). The reality of God can only be grasped by those who believe.

Jesus Himself interprets:

In keeping with this, Jesus Himself interprets a parable, namely the Parable of the Sower.
In this parable, the seed falls upon different kinds of soil. The seed represents the word of God, which develops differently depending on the kind of soil it encounters.

On the wayside:

This image corresponds to those people who hear God’s word but cannot grasp it.

On stoney ground:

These are people who can accept the word of God, but the seed does not take deep root, as it were. As soon as their personal situations of life become difficult, the word is rejected and the seed is unable to develop fruit.

Among the thorns:

While these people are able to accept the word of God and it is able to take root within them, so to speak, worries about world events or even the treacherous pursuit of wealth can be like thorns that destroy the word of God.

On good ground:

For people who accept the word and align themselves with it, this can lead to growth in many ways.

A little seed, but a great impact:

Jesus repeatedly encourages his disciples with parables that illustrate that God can do great things. On the other hand, the sower himself has only limited control over the kind of soil on which the seed falls. The parables of the mustard seed and the sourdough also make it clear that human beings can only contribute in a small way, and yet something great comes into being in a miraculous way through the activity of God.

As encouragement for all those who sometimes find preaching the gospel frustrating because the seed does not fall on the right soil, Jesus refers to the power of the seed that grows all on its own in the gospel of Mark: “And the seed should sprout and grow, he himself (the person) does not know how” (Mark 4: 27).

16/08/2026

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