Diaspora News of Thursday, 11 September 2008

Source: Joe Kingsley Eyiah, Heritage Ghanaian SDA Church, Toronto

Pastor Sampa hits Toronto

PASTOR (DR.) SAMPAH HITS TORONTO WITH THE TRUTH

He came to Toronto-Canada in August, 2008 with a special mission: to expound on the truth in the Word of God. His background as the man of god is quite unique! A former Pastor of the Pentecost Church in Ghana who some years ago got converted to the Adventist Faith and who was re-baptized into the Church. He then set himself to searching the scriptures to confirm the truth he has been led to, even to the extent of studying for his PhD in Theology at the Andrews Theological seminary (University) in USA. Pastor (Dr.) Paul Kofi Adu Sampah is full of fire for the Lord. And to him “miracles” can’t be used to cover the truth in the Word of God. For, the Word of God when accepted and lived by works miracles in the life of the repentant sinner!

Unlike some unreliable men of God who come to the Western world with promise of going back to Ghana at the end of their studies or term of work but selfishly refuse to so, Pastor (Dr.) Sampah has finished with his studies in USA and he is on his way back to Ghana to help spread the TRUTH there. However, before he could leave the shores of North America, God willing, this September, the Heritage Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Church in Toronto invited him to conduct the Power of His Word Evangelistic Series in Toronto from August 8 to August 23. The series took place at the Christian Centre in the neighborhood of Jane/Finch.

Each night the spacious premises of the Christian Centre was filled to capacity and the Power of God descended mightily using His servant, Pastor (Dr.) Sampah to lay bare the TRUTH in His Word. Many of the Torontorians who attended the series were hit with the NAKED TRUTH and, some at the end of the two weeks were baptized into the family of God. Praise be to God Almighty!

His was not the time to bring miracles to Torontorians promising them prosperity at the expense of the Truth in order to woo them for their money as some self-acclaimed Apostles and Prophets as well as Pastors come to Toronto to do. His was the time of proclaiming the Truth and he, by the Grace of God, did it with all the expediency that the man of God ought to do in dividing the Word of God.

One area he stressed most is our relationship with our Creator-God. Pastor (Dr.) Sampah pointed out that “There is no relationship that is not governed by rules. Without the governed rule, there shall be no trespass or offence. Offence or trespass seriously affects or dents relationship, and that is when forgiveness, pardon, or grace is applied to maintain the relationship.”

He further explained that, “In our relationship with God, sin, which is defined as ‘the transgression of the law of God’, the Ten Commandments, (1 John 3:4) dents and separates us from God. To bring us back to the relationship, God offered us His Grace.”

Pastor Sampah stressed that the Ten Commandments as found in the Bible are not for Moses. They are for God Himself! (Read Exodus 24:12). He argued that the Ten Commandments are the only handwriting of God in the whole Bible (Exodus 31:18). And that, “We need not to select which ones to keep and which ones not to keep.” (Read James 2:10, 11) The Ten Commandments represent God Himself among His people in all their dwellings!

The speaker provoked thought among his hearers by posing a hypothetical question: Which Is Important, DAY OF WORSHIP OR WAY OF WORSHIP? He then moved on to underscore the fact that many ministers of the gospel are championing the cause to abolish the law because they have changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Pastor (Dr.) Sampah, a former Pastor of Sunday worshippers who has come face to face with the truth about the Day of Worship and has allowed God’s will to be done in his life, cited at least six strong points about what is so sinful about the change of the Sabbath:

It is a day of rest and sanctification for man in the Plan B package: God introduced hard work (Gen. 3:17-19), a day of rest, and fellowship (Lev. 23:3). It is the only agreement between God and His people (Exodus 31:17). It is a command not to choose any other day but God’s own (Exodus 20:8-11; Matt. 5:19). God created the day before sin for reconciliation (Gen. 2:1-3; Isaiah 40:28; Mark 2:27, 28). It is a sign of identity for God’s children (Heb. 4:9, 10) God has rejected those who reject His Commandments from been Pastors to His Church (Hosea 4:6). The churches those Pastors have formed are their own churches and not God’s!

Quoting Apostle Paul, Pastor (Dr.) Paul Sampah said that the law is the watchman of God’s church. Without it there will be no sin, sinner, Savior, church, gospel and preacher (Rom. 7:7). Therefore the Law is Holy, Just and Good (Rom. 7:12).

Pastor (Dr.) Paul Sampah concluded his series with profound exposition on two celebrations that the Lord Himself instituted which have been cannily changed or adulterated by the Devil. These are the ordination of foot washing as part of the communion service for all followers of Christ, our Savior (read John 13:2-15) and, the method of baptism of the believer into the Church of God (read Mark 16:16; John 3:3-8; Mark 1:9; Acts 19:1-5).

Before his final appeal on the last night of the evangelistic series, Pastor (Dr.) Sampah drew his listeners attention to James 1:21, 22, which entreats hearers of the Word of God to humbly accept the word planted in them, which can save us and, not only merely listen to the word, and so deceive themselves! The appeal touched hearts and 10 souls were baptized the following day. Glory and honor belong to God.