Being a city on a hill is a great privilege! You are the cynosure of every eye. Travellers take their bearing with your location. It is normal to reference you. Your beauty dazzles the world & any flaw is quickly assessed as a terrible eyesore! When a city on a hill is lighted up, it’s light brightens the valleys around, but when it goes dark, even lighted neighbourhoods feel mournful. This is our true identity in Christ! 
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matt 5:14-16 (KJV)
Lighted men cannot be hid! 
No! Impossicant! God never lights a person & permits him/her to exist under destiny bushels! That’s why the church is shining bright! That’s why men of grace are riding high! That’s why many rejected stones are popping up as chief cornerstones! The light of God is the secret to stressless destiny visibility & outside of his light, you have to raise your face by your toils! And that’s why men of God in Nigeria are often the leading lights in many communities & sectors! Lighted lives must shine! 
But then, when you’re in the public arena, almost everything becomes of public interest! How you appear, what you eat, where you go, what you own, whom you associate with, how you react, why you spoke, etc all become public domain issues. Your family is scrutinised. Your chats are monitored. Your statements are analysed & debated. Your weaknesses & failures often become public issues. And, trust people, to quickly forget your good works in pursuing their demand for your perfect packaging & performance! 
And then, something ‘big’ happens! 
Big is relative! Big is not often about the size of the issue but the size of the man at issue! The ‘small’ failings of great men often become major discussion issues. People can be living in ‘adultery’ & yet be comfortable in discussing & judging the ‘wrong talk’ of another person because that person is in the ‘light upon a hill’ category! Their outrage is really not wrong! They’re right to expect much from us because of who we are! We are different! We are the standard! 
That why the Daddy Freeze & David Ibiyeomie issue is quite interesting! No one was shocked to hear Daddy Freeze use insulting words on men of God because not many consider Freeze a man of God; Everyone was shocked to hear David Ibiyeomie use coarse words on Daddy Freeze because everyone knows Ibiyeomie to be a man of God! That’s the difference! The world knows! Their outrage is actually an endorsement of David Ibiyeomie! Only a person who has something to lose can be said to have lost something! 
There’s always something to learn! 
While my loyalty to the apostolic leadership of David Ibiyeomie is unquestionable, and while I humbly submit to the spiritual fatherhood of Dr Paul Enenche & the covering authority of Dr David Oyedepo, it is imperative that I also learn godly lessons from this ‘funny’ crisis; 
-i- no one who loves Jesus will keep ridiculing his church! Jude 1:8-10
-ii- godly wisdom doesn’t create contentions but peace! Jam 3:13-18
-iii- true sons do not celebrate the nakedness of parents! Gen 9:20-25
-iv- sons are meant to boldly defend the honour of parents! Ps 127:3-5 
-v- the world expects higher standards of life & language from us! Eph 4:29-32 
-vi- people will gladly hurt a reputation you’ve built over many years! Eccl 10:1 
-vii- no matter how bad it looks, the kingdom of God always wins! Matt 16:18.
It’s time to face front & move on!
The issues have been discussed & dissected! Many lessons have been learnt! Apologies & growth will hopefully follow! But for me & you, it’s time to move on! It is not the issues out there that defines our walk with God, but the issues deep down is us! Let’s do right by ourselves! Let’s examine our own lives & live it out to Gods glory! That’s the challenge! That’s the responsibility! And remember this: anytime your weaknesses show & your neighbours are outraged, it is because the know that your Christianity is for real!
Prayers
I speak a lifting over you this week! No demonic power will cover your light! You will not see shame nor manifest shamefully! The favour & wisdom of God give you a place among the mighty in Jesus Christ name! 
Much Love! 
George Izunwa Lead Pastor