As the world celebrates the Yuletide season, clerics in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Lively Chapel have emphasised the importance of unity and love in curbing division within churches.
In his Christmas message, Pastor in -charge of the parish, Adebayo Amao stressed that unity among Christians was pertinent in promoting the values of love, peace, and harmony.
He spoke during the 2024 Christmas Carol service, tagged, ‘Emmanuel’ held in Omole, Lagos State.
According to him, “Christmas is a time of reflection for Christians in appreciation of what God has done for humanity. For giving us a saviour to give us hope and eternal life.
“I want to encourage and charge every believer that this period serves as an opportunity for all to show love to one another, to care for one another, to be a blessing to your neighbours, No matter how small, be a blessing to that child, be a blessing to that widow, be a blessing to that widower, show the love of Christ to everyone around us.”
The cleric, while speaking on division in churches, called on Christians to uphold unity and love as cardinals that guide against division.
He said, “We must come together as one body in Christ, putting aside our differences and denominational affiliations. We must not allow the devil to divide us. We are stronger together, and our unity will promote the gospel of Christ.”
He said further: “We are one in Christ, and our unity is our strength. There shouldn’t have been any form of division because we have the Bible; the word of God. That is our basis for living. I want to encourage each believer to come together as one. We are one.
“The Bible says that any house divided against itself cannot stand. Then we need to come together, no matter the difference, no matter the denomination, we should see ourselves as one,” the cleric stressed.
However, as Nigeria continues to grapple with economic challenges and others, Amao urged citizens not to lose hope but to look unto Jesus for salvation and transformation.
He emphasised that Jesus was the answer to Nigeria’s problems adding that, Nigeria is not the only nation faced with hard times.
According to him, “We are facing many challenges as a nation, but we should not lose hope. Our hope is built on Jesus, and we must look unto Him because He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
“If you look at what is happening in Nigeria and even the entire world, it could be so discouraging. Even developed countries have challenges in their economy, in their policies, but if we look up to Jesus, he answers all problems.”
Earlier, the Assistance Pastor of the church, Pastor Oladipo Ishiola described Christmas as a time to show immense love for one another.
He, however, called on Christians all over the world to keep trusting God in the face of challenges.
He said, “Christmas is a wonderful time, it’s a time where we show love because God has shown us immense love by sending us His Son, Jesus.
“We should keep trusting God. We understand that the times are hard, but God is a God of miracles. He’s a God who can turn things around for good. We only have Him
