Children & Adult Yearly Anniversary (1 Sam. 1:1-20)
- How to Sponsor and Participate in the annual anniversary and commune with both seen and unseen beings.
- The significance of sponsoring and attending these anniversaries and the benefits we stand to receive.
- Who is qualified to partake in the Holy Communion?
INTRODUCTION
Yearly anniversary, like the Passover feast of the Israelites is a sacred gathering of every member of the World International Sacred Peace Movement on the 31st of December and 1st of January every year to give God thanks and plan for the next year. It involves scriptural teaching, song renditions, drama, food, drinks, etc. and is usually sponsored by members of the organ (church) in their various localities.
These sacred events for both children and adults referred to “anniversary” are fixed and known by every member of the church (fold). But the sad reality is that like the generation of Israel that did not know God (Judges 2:10), every year, the celebration is marred with poor planning befitting such a grand church event, inadequate preparation of our spirits, souls, hearts and bodies to commune with Jehovah of host and some do not or treacherously offer their sacrifices to God.
Our yearly anniversary is not just a feast for eating and drinking/merriment but a joyful sacred occasion where Jehovah of Host and the Host of righteousness delights to commune with the children of God. Hence must be done with all sense of preparedness (spiritual and physical) decorum, humility, spiritual neatness, prayers and watchfulness because we are in the presence of God.
How to Sponsor and Participate in the annual anniversary and commune with both seen and unseen beings.
The word sponsor is to provide funds, support or take responsibility for an event. Today in the church, what we hear and do is “anniversary levy” rather than sponsoring anniversary. To sponsor anniversary is to take responsibility to provide any of the various items needed for the anniversary whereas “anniversary levy” is a mandatory obligation placed by church leadership to achieve the hosting of the anniversary.
Sponsoring anniversary is a measure of spiritual understanding; love for God and a show of gratitude for all the blessings of God to us for the year. Although paying anniversary levy to host anniversary is a way of showing support, but to exhibit gratefulness for all of God’s blessings to us, we need to sponsor the anniversary.
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee” – Deut. 16:17
The above scripture refers to free will offering. Participating in anniversary is more than paying anniversary levy, sponsoring anniversary or even appearing on your white clothes and shoes (anniversary apparel). Participating in anniversary entails our total cooperation with the Holy Ghost ranging from:
- Pre-Anniversary Preparation
- Preparation of the body, soul and spirit for anniversary
- Cooperation with the leadership for successful anniversary hosting
- Not begrudging anybody before the anniversary
- Preparing one’s uniform set for the anniversary
- Sanctify yourself before the anniversary – stay away from Sin during anniversary
- Participating in every stage or program of the anniversary
- Avoid loitering, jesting and unholy communication and gathering
- Be in the mood of prayer always as you present your request, petitions and budgets to God.
- Be focused on God
- Post anniversary –
- Taking the holy communion (reflect on the gains and dangers)
- Beginning the year with a renewed mindset for service
- Trust God as the year begin
Whatever you give in making the anniversary a success is an offering to God. The way and manner we offer to God speak volume on how much we commune with God and in turn how God will respond and commune with us.
“A man’s gift maketh room for him and bringeth him before great men” – Prov. 18:16
God is willing to bless us through our free will offering (Sponsoring anniversary) hence, He command: “…. And they shall not appear before the Lord empty” – Deut. 16:16.
The significance of sponsoring and attending these anniversaries and the benefits we stand to receive.
The significance of sponsoring and attending anniversaries cannot be over-emphasized. It has far reaching benefits we cannot imagine:
- Material abundance (food and drinks) during the anniversary
- It curbs grumbling of lack of food and drinks
- It helps to take care of appointed ministers sent to the zone which in turn brings material and spiritual blessings and upliftment to the zone – Mt. 10:42, Mk. 10:41.
- Our gifts and offerings open doors for us in the new year – Prov. 18:16
- Healing
- Gladness of heart
- Deliverance
- God watches our investments
- Prosperity/enrichment in all things. 2 Cor. 9:11
- Increase fruit of righteousness – 2 Cor. 9:10
Attending anniversary is a must for every real member of the Sacred Peace Movement – Letter 13, page 72 Para. 7. Attending anniversary is a privilege to end the year with God and commence the new year with God.
Benefits of attending Anniversaries
- We have the privilege of presenting our plans and budget of the year to the Lord
- A time where the books of remembrance is opened for members
- Ministerial gifts and blessings released
- Spiritual sustenance released
- Renewal of covenants
Note: anniversary is a sacred appointment with Jehovah of Host and beings of righteousness where God communes, dines and wine together with His appointed children. For every divine appointment with God, yokes are broken, burdens are lifted, breakthrough, healing, deliverance, upliftment etc. take place.
- Who is qualified to partake in the Holy Communion?
For members of the Sacred Fold, the Holy Communion is an annual ritual performed by the Church in remembrance of the death of Christ. The Holy Communion or Lord’s Supper should not be taken as mere ritual to fulfil religious ordinance, as doing so carries grave consequences. (1 Cor. 10:21).
“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep – 1 Cor. 11:27-30.
The above scripture draws our attention on the importance of self examination before partaking in the Holy Communion. The question then is, who is qualified to partake in the holy communion?
- A born-again Christian – 2 Cor. 5:17.
- He who has confessed and ready to forsake his sins – Prov. 28:13
- Reconcile all differences with your brethren. Mt. 5:23-24
Examining 1 Cor. 11:27-30
- Eat the bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily. This means to partake of the Holy Communion being:
- Unregenerated (not born-again) having no spiritual life
- Having no spiritual light to discern the Lord’s body – Eph. 1:17
- Having no spiritual taste, no spiritual hungerings and taste for righteousness – Mt. 5:6
- No spiritual communion resulting to lack of spiritual nourishment
- No genuine repentance
- No faith in eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ
- When our lives do not conform to the gospel of Christ
- When taken without reverence
- Taking the communion not regarding the Lord’s body and blood as a sacrificial offering for sin.
Dangers of taking the Holy Communion Unworthily
- Spiritual excommunication from God (Spiritual death) – St. John. 6:53
- Spiritually estranged from the common-wealth of Israel
- Exposed to spiritual dangers and satanic manipulations
- Deprived of some spiritual privileges
- Absence of Christ in the life of that man – Jn. 6:56
- Brings Condemnation
Benefits of the Holy Communion
- Eternal Life – Jn. 6:50,53,58
- Life through Christ – Jn. 6:57
- Spiritual nourishment – Jn. 6:35
- Assurance of resurrection – Jn. 6:54
- Christ in us and our lives hidden in Christ – Jn. 6:56
- Sustenance – Jn. 6:57
So, let us examine ourselves and ensure we are fully prepared for both the children and adult anniversaries.
NB: Images from Google Image
