MEET NATHANIEL BASSEY

Nathaniel Bassey was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He is from Ikot Ofon Ikono, Uyo local government area in Akwa-Ibom state, South-South Nigeria.
His father, Mr E Joshua Bassey, was a minister in The Apostolic Church Bashua Assembly and from an early age he developed a love for both music and the gospel.
He was inspired when He saw Dr Panam Percy Paul, a prominent Nigerian gospel music icon in concert over twenty years ago and since then,.His passion for music has grown and translated.into various musical experiences. Today He is married to His wife Sarah Bassey and they are blessed with A child

• In his early years, he developed a rather uncommon interest for jazz music and began listening, imitating and playing to the music of.Louis Armstrong, Miles Davies, Clifford Brown, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Kirk Whalum, Phil Driscoll, Hugh Masakela and other Jazz luminaries. His zeal for the Jazz form would later stir him to seek out bands and groups along the Jazz lines. He then joined a top jazz quartet in Lagos, Spectrum 4, where he played alongside his childhood friends.
• About that time Nat, as he is fondly called, was approached by one of the most respectable figures in the Nigerian jazz and music circle, Elder Steve Rhodes to lead, arguably, the first
  Jazz Orchestra in the country – THE STEVE RHODES ORCHESTRA. He served as band leader and lead trumpet player for a period of two years and later moved on with his music career.
  His peculiar and particularly soulful trumpet playing style caught the ears of top Artistes and composers within and outside the country. 
  Teemac, Ayo Bankole Jr, Cobhams Asuquo, Wole Oni, Yinka Davies, Adlan Cruise, Funsho Ogundipe, Peter King, Sotiris Papadopoulus, Paul Petersen, The French Cultural centre,American International School, are but a few individuals and organisations that have sought his musical ingenuity.
• As time passed, Nathaniel began sensing a deep yearning within. There was more to his music than he thought. He later took time off his numerous mainstream commitments to seek the Lord under the Mentorship and guidance of Late Pastor Eskor Mfon, the former Pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God, City Of David Parish. This decision attracted fierce criticisms from friends, Artistes and colleagues who thought it unthinkable abandoning what was becoming a thriving mainstream music career to serve exclusively at a local church.
  As he developed an intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, He then realised that music was more than an item to fill a space in time but was a fundamental tool in the praise and worship of the Lord. Soon after, a music ministry was born and for Nathaniel, the main thrust was WORSHIP – Music of heaven – one that ministered exclusively to the Lord and an avenue through which HE related with His people. His trumpet playing coupled with a calm.singing style has since ushered many in concerts,crusades and churches into the presence of the LORD.
• Nathaniel, a graduate of Politics and International Relations at the University of London, also serves as the director of music at the RCCG; The King’s Court. He has attended music courses in and out of the country including the Middlesex University Summer School UK, where he studied popular music and music business. He writes, sings and produces his own music and records with diverse groups of musicians.

Nathaniel’s debut album Elohim was recorded and mixed in Cape Town, South Africa in the year 2008. It has been described as a spiritual and Artistic masterpiece with the hit track“Someone’s knocking at the door” a soft-rock tune currently generating so much interest locally and internationally.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 4.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS Part 4. 

TEXT: TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

Life is full of uncommon encounters and they happen in different ways and by different influences. Not everyone with a supernatural encounter was under the influence and power of the Spirit of God. There are encounters that are demonic. The devil is very good at producing a counterfeit of the supernatural move of God. It takes a discerning heart to be able to tell the difference. Some people are so desperate for the extraordinary that they are not careful enough to find out the spirit that is in operation there. The word of God tells us to test all spirit. You should not be careless to open up your spirit to just anything. Your life is just too precious to gamble with. When king Saul became desperate to hear from God and the prophet Samuel was no more he chose to visit a witch and that visit led to the complete destruction of his life and kingdom.

There are many people who are running from one religious house to the other in search of a supernatural visitation and it is unfortunate that many of them have fallen prey to the trap of the enemy. There are many so-called churches today with so-called pastors who are not different from native doctors and they are increasing in their numbers. If you desire the supernatural please cry out to God. Spend time in prayer and meditating on God’s word and someday, somewhere and somehow something will begin that will usher in the glory of God. Keep your eyes on the Lord and you will be amazed the glory that will follow your life. The LORD is closer than you can imagine. 

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 1

RELEASING THE RIVER OF GOD’S GLORY 1. (Psalm 46:1-5)

It is impossible to gain the attention of the world without an extraordinary manifestation that cannot be easily explained or reproduced. Those who walk in the glory realm have become channels for the release of the flow of the river of God.

CONTEMPLATION

Sometimes we fail to realize that our hunger and expectation to see the move of God was actually placed there by God (See Philippians 2:13). After waiting for a while and nothing seems to have happened we become discouraged and we settle for a normal life. The truth is that the vision of God is for an appointed time far from our calculation. But if we will be patient and wait for it we will see it fulfilled (See Habakkuk 2:2). It is one level to have the glory of God released on you it is another level to have it flowing through you to others and this is a great responsibility. We have often limited the move of God to the four walls of the church when in actual reality God want to reveal His glory as we interact with people at work, on the street, on the bus and wherever we go. When we are in a continuous fellowship with the Spirit the manifestation of the word of knowledge, prophecy, gift of faith, healing and other manifestation of the Spirit will not be limited to special religious meetings. It becomes part of our everyday living and this is what it means to be full of the Holy Spirit (See Acts 6:3).

PRACTICAL ISSUES

Make practical effort to disabuse your mind from the erroneous idea that the manifestation of the personality and the gifts of the Spirit is meant to be at some great church services, it is a delusion of the enemy.

You are not only a seed of Abraham but also a vessel full of the Holy Ghost and power; through you the Father desire to show forth His glory. Let someone see His glory today.

-          REV. IGHO Y. 

FIRST FRUIT. (Part 3)

FIRST FRUIT. (Part 3). 

 TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 26:1-4.

When you have come into the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance and possess it and live in it.

2 You shall take some of the first of all the produce of the soil which you harvest from the land your God gives you and put it in a basket, and go to the place [the sanctuary] which the Lord your God has chosen as the abiding place for His name [and His Presence].

3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office in those days and say to him, I give thanks this day to the Lord your God that I have come to this land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give to us.

4 And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the Lord your God.

When a man is able to come to the point where it is no longer a struggle to obey God in issues like first fruit, he is able to break the dominion of lack and poverty over his life and activate the release of God’s blessing over his life.

As recorded in the text for today, when he comes before the man of God he is acknowledging that it is the favour of God that made the job or business possible. When the pastor brings it before the Lord and prays, another blessing is activated upon his life that follows him for the rest of the year.

This serious obedience to God’s divine command entitles this man to become eligible for strange favours. Romans 11:16 makes us to see that obedience to God on the first fruit will secure the rest or other part of the blessing that follows.

Now please remember that God is to get the first and not even the second. If you put him first, then all others will be under His divine covering. It may be tough the first time you try this but soon you will come to see the benefit and awesome blessings that goes with obeying God and then you won’t have to fear or worry.

Beloved, the truth is that there are blessings you cannot walk into until you walk in total obedience to God. A careful study of the lives of those who obeyed God in this area will reveal to you some uncommon grace and glory that is evident in their lives. My family has been benefited mightily in obeying God in first fruit from the year 2004 when we received this divine light and 10 years after we have no regrets but uncommon blessing as strong evidences of God’s faithfulness.

Please do all you can to discipline yourself and allow God to lead you to plan ahead to obey Him in the release of your first fruit and you will begin to see the uncommon blessing activated in your life. The truth is that God has more in store for you than you can ever imagine and your obedience is only to your advantage. Trust God in this area of your life and you will be amazed the glory that will follow. 

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 3

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 3 

TEXT: TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

Those who have the opportunity to encounter the glory of God cannot be boastful if the encounter is truly from God. When a man encounters the glory of the Lord, he becomes broken and suddenly realizes his unworthiness and weakness. The glory of God has a way of showing man his frailty and fallen nature. But it also helps the one who experienced this encounter to crave for more of the glory life. The supernatural suddenly becomes the ultimate and nothing else will satisfy. For an individual like this there is nothing too expensive to let go to have more of the glory revealed in his life.

No man is designed to live an ordinary life, but life in the spirit is a choice. To pray is a choice. To spend quality time with the word of God is a choice. To commit your life to serve the purpose of God in the kingdom to see many more lives blessed is a choice.

No one who truly desires to walk in the supernatural can live life in his own terms. There must be some deal with God based on the plan and purpose of heaven. So many people are devoid of the supernatural because they are so conscious of themselves. Until you loose self-consciousness you cannot gain God’s consciousness. The supernatural is within your reach but the choice is yours.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 2

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT. 2

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

When a man sincerely decides to seek the face of God from a pure heart, he begins to position himself for unusual encounter from above. Sometimes it seem as though the supernatural is an exclusive right of a few special folks but this is not true. A careful study of the lives of most people with the extraordinary manifestations of God in their life and ministry will reveal to you that most of them were regular folks who chose to go an extra mile in their walk with God. When a man is hungry enough to go the extra mile it is very possible that he will show up in the supernatural realm. The truth is that there are so many people who are just too comfortable with the norm; therefore they end up with the normal life. There is a greater degree of glory that is available to every man no matter the glory they walk in today. The Lord Jesus made us to understand that it is those who are hungry and thirsty after righteousness that shall be filled and it is the pure in heart that is positioned to see God.

When Paul had his encounter with the glory of God, it is obvious that he was so conscious of the things he saw and heard; yet it was very difficult to say it was an experience in his spirit or his physical state. When a man stands in the presence of the glory of God, it is hard to intelligibly comprehend what is happening. Except the Lord open your understanding, you are lost. It is so hard to explain it but yet too real to ignore or denial. If a man has not known any of such encounters, it is difficult for him/her to relate with certain passages of the scripture and the testimony of others.

If you have not had an extraordinary encounter with the Lord it is not because you are the chief of all sinners. In fact the first encounter Paul had on the way to Damascus was when he was fighting against the people of God. It may become necessary for you to become more hungry from the depth of your heart and as you do, the Lord in His own wisdom knows just when to grant you an encounter.  Wait on the Lord and you will be amazed what He will do.

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT.1

UNCOMMON ENCOUNTERS PT.1 DEC. 3^rd

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (AMP)
¹ TRUE, THERE is nothing to be gained by it, but [as I am obliged] to boast, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven.
³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.
⁵ Of this same [man's experiences] I will boast, but of myself (personally) I will not boast, except as regards my infirmities (my weaknesses).
⁶ Should I desire to boast, I shall not be a witless braggart, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I abstain [from it] so that no one may form a higher estimate of me than [is justified by] what he sees in me or hears from me.

There are certain experiences in life that are very difficult to explain. This is further compounded by the fact that the complexity of the human nature made in the image of God makes it more intricate. There are experiences that we have that we cannot quickly conclude on as a physical experience. When a man has such experiences, it takes some divine insight to be able to have a clue of what really happened.

From our text for today it became clear that Paul while reminiscing on the encounter he had some 14 years earlier was still in awe. Just one divine encounter is capable of defining your life and destiny. The only thing that can make an atheist abandon his position is an undeniable encounter with the glory of God. If we must take over our world for the Lord, we must manifest something that is beyond scientific position and argument. 

One major reason why the Lord Jesus and the apostles of old were able to get the attention of their generation is the regular occurrence of the supernatural in their life and ministry.

Do you have any evidence of the presence and the glory of God in your life today that is capable of arresting the attention of your generation? When was the last time you had a true divine encounter that is not limited to shouting and speaking in tongues? The whole of creation is waiting for you. Walk in the supernatural today.