Come Back to Duty | Pr. Geoffrey Waweru

Turn to your neighbor. Tell him, "Welcome to my daddy's house." Do it with a smile. Do it with a passion if you believe this is your father's house. Welcome into my father's house. Nairobi Central Church is a wonderful church. Something happened today that has never happened in the entire life of my ministry. It made me to remember the first time I stood to preach. That was 1988 as a small boy. Today, September 12th, 2026. Today was the first time to enter into a prayer room to be prayed for before I entered this sanctuary. I believe the presence of God is here. Those who are watching us online, this is the place to be where 7th Day Adventist Nairobi Central. And I want to assure you whenever you come to seek the face of the Lord in his presence, you go back and things are going to change. Our key verse is Zechariah chapter 9 vers 12. I want to thank the elders, the council of elders led by Eldam Thai, the pastors, the church leadership for this privilege to stand here. I don't take it for granted. this afternoon will be led by ASI ASI and Dr. Alex Maraga will be leading the entire team is our executive secretary of EKU ESI chapter. Him and the team will be here and the Lord will want to speak to you. So this afternoon make a point of coming back kindly. If you genuinely care about your future this afternoon you must come here. Tell your neighbor you must be here this afternoon. Father, as we open your word this afternoon or this morning, kindly speak to this viewer who is watching us from home, from hospital, from a business trip, even the members of this congregation, Jehovah, those who come to seek you. Let them go back home with the testimony that you have touched their lives. Thank you for listening and thank you for answering our prayers in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Zechariah chapter 9 12. I'm using the New King James Version. It reads, "Return to the stronghold, comma, you prisoners of hope. Utop return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope, even today. Even today, Saturday, Sabbath, 12th of September, 2026, I declare that I will restore double to you. I will restore double to you. My message is very simple. Come back to Judy. Reading into the text, the word return means come back. My brother, my sister, your safety in 2026 comes from coming back to the stronghold. Your security is not outside there. It is coming back to duty. I want to declare this morning, you and me, we are prisoners of hope. We are prisoners of hope. What dreams are you having? What is this you have been praying about? What is this that you're expecting from the Lord? It simply says I'm prisoner of hope. My tomorrow shall be better. But how will it be better? How will I be able to realize that which I've been dreaming about, I've been praying about? It is only by coming back to duty. Tell your neighbor, you must come back to duty. I know I don't have a lot of time. I only want to tell you three things out of this text. Give you few examples and these examples can be your example. These examples can become a living testimony in your life if you can only come back to duty. You know last week when we were launching one voice 27 you mean within seven days you have forgotten and they watching us online so many millions so be careful. One voice 27 >> mission for all. One voice 27 is a simple wakeup call. Come back to duty. What is this duty? That's the things I want to deal with. Three points. Number one, be on duty despite the challenges you are going through. Be on duty despite the challenge you are going through. Number two, your genuine prayer. You are genuine prayer and faithful service will never die. Your genuine prayer and your faithful service will never die. Number three, remain on duty regardless of what others are doing. Number one, be on duty despite the challenge you are going through. Number two, your genuine prayer and faithful service will never die. Number three, remain on duty regardless of what others are doing. And I want to give you simple examples that I believe they are going to reflect your life as well as my life. Let me go to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 from verse one all the way to 27. But let me read few verses to tell you few things. Number five, I'm using the New King James Version. Luke chapter 1 verse 5. It says, "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachcharias of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughter of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth." Here is an Adventist couple, Zachariah, Mester and Mrs. Zachariah. Elder Zachariah and Mrs. Zachariah. The elder goes by the name of Zechariah. The wife goes by the name of Elizabeth. Verse six says, "And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinance of the Lord brimless, but they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and they were both well advanced in years." This could be a story. They were blameless. They were righteous before God. They were blameless. Before God, they were righteous. Even though Even THOUGH WITH ALL THE righteousness that they had, they still had that one challenge. And that challenge made people to laugh at them, TO LOOK DOWN UPON THEM. BUT the next few verses tells me Zachariah remained on duty. Zachariah remained on duty. He had prayed when he was a young man. They had played when they got married. We want a son. WE WANT A DAUGHTER. GOD HAD THE PRAYERS, but [snorts] he did not answer. He continued serving in the Lord's temple. He would wake up every morning TO COME AND bless the children of others. Yet he did not have any child. And depending on where you come from, it is good to LET YOU KNOW THOSE DAYS when Zachariah was serving. It was known if you never HAD A CHILD, THIS PROBLEM, it's not you. It's because God is not favoring you. So you can imagine the guy is preaching, the guy is ministering, he is blessing yet he did not have a child. What is this you have been praying about? What is this one challenge that keeps you sleepless? Others have already been given. You have prayed for others. They are giving testimonies. Yet you are still there with nothing to show. You have been serving God. You have been praying. I came to give you a very simple message. Come back to duty. Remain on duty. It does not matter what is happening in your life. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT OTHERS ARE saying about your situation. God hears prayer. God never forgets any service, faithful service, genuine prayers that are played by his sons. He never forgets. And my Bible tells me in verse 8 and verse 13, SO IT WAS THAT WHILE he was serving as a PRIEST BEFORE GOD in the order of his division, where was he when he was serving? Tell your neighbor when he was serving, he had reason to be discouraged. He would have been A ASHAMED. HE WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN because others had already received the answer but he had not received. But when he was on duty verse 8 verse 13 says and when Zechariah verse 13 but the angel of the Lord said to him do not be afraid. Amen. ZACHCHARIAS, FOR YOUR prayer is hard. Tell your neighbor your prayer is hard. That is in the past. It's not now. It is not in future. It is in THE PAST. 20 YEARS AGO, 50 YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU PRAYED, the Lord had. But it is yet time for it to be manifested physically. When he was serving, God spoke to him. Do not be afraid. And you know the guy when he heard what the angel was saying, my Bible tells me, he spoke like you and me. You know here in Kenya what you are saying cannot be able to happen. Let me inform you Mr. Angel because you live in heaven and I live in Kenya. And you know what the angel said? You are interrupting what God wants to do. It's not about you whether you believe or not. God heard and is going to answer that prayer. And the Bible says it does not say prayers prayer. That one prayer when God answers it, it's going to take your life 380° 180° things are going to change. I came to tell you probably you are like Zacharias. You know sometimes when you are talking about Zacharias there are few things I want to know. Number one, Zachchariah in Hebrew means God has heard. It's not he has his hearing has heard. The the name Elizabeth had two meanings. One, God's oath. Two, God has remembered. ARE WE TOGETHER? SO THIS WAS A FAMILY OF FAITH. ONE GOD HAS HEARD. God has remembered. They were walking ashamed. They don't know how to encourage others. They don't have a testimony that their PRAYERS WAS HEARD THAT GOD HAD REMEMBERED THEM. But here they are. When they came on duty, God visited them. It is my humble prayer that those who are in this sanctuary, you have come here to serve God. And let me tell you this, let me make it very clear. Pastor Amayo, sometimes as pastors, WE LIMIT SERVING GOD TO PREACHING standing behind the pullpit. Serving God beyond that. Are we together? Abraham is called a servant of God. DAVID IS CALLED A servant of God. Ruth is called a servant of God. Esther is called a servant of God. Are we together? Daniel, Shadrach, Meak, Nehemiah, Ela, you know serving God. What has God given to you where you are? That is your mission field. Are you a farmer? Serve God. Are you a doctor? Serve God. Are you a politician? Serve God. Stop serving people. Serve God where God has kept you. Are you an accountant? Serve God. IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR FIRST INTEREST, YOUR first agenda is what does God want me to do where I am? And that is why I came to tell you, stop focusing on other things. Focus on God's agenda for your life. Where you are, WORK FAITHFULLY. WHERE YOU ARE, God will answer genuine prayers and faithful service probably. Let me tell you something. I don't know whether you have ever thought of it so that I can be able to finish. He had prayed the prayers did not die. He was serving the service did not die. Any prayer that is genuine, any service that gives God number one as a priority, don't you worry, it's only a matter of time. God will visit you himself. Do you remember of a young boy called Elisha? Elisha means God is my salvation. Yahweh is my savior. So he's walking and an old man comes and tell him I'm going to mentor you. That was Elijah. And he's moving from one place from one town to another town. And people tells him, do you know what? God is going to take up Elijah. The guy says, "I know." Elijah tells him, "You must stay here." He says, "No, my work is to keep following you. Whether I'm receiving nothing or not, I'm going to be on duty." And then it comes to a time he this this boy is so consistent. He doesn't want to leave. What do you want? He says, "I want a double portion of your anointment." And the guy says, "Okay, you want that one? It's okay. If you see me going, you shall have it. He received or not? Elijah Elijah performed 16 miracles. So Elisha was supposed to perform 32 miracles. Elisha dies before the 32nd miracle happens. And where they bury him in that grave, the Bible says that one time they brought a young boy who was dead. And as they are almost passing there, they see enemies coming and they decide let us throw this boy on this grave will come after. What happens? What happens to that young boy? The bones [snorts] of Elisha once is touched by the body of that young boy who is dead, it resurrects. Prayers, genuine prayers never die. Faithful service never die. Let me come to the New Testament. Luke chapter 7 simply says there was this centurion. What happens to the centurion? Chapter 7. This is what it says. And a certain verse two, Luke chapter 7 verse two. I'm simply saying be on duty despite the challenges you are going through. Genuine prayers, faithful s service will never die. They are going to live beyond you because the God you are serving does not die. So what happens? It says and a certain centurion servant who was dear to him was sick and ready to die. The guy had gone from every country from hospital to hospital and the doctors had said can you prepare to die and then they say verse three says so when he heard about Jesus he sent elders to the Jews to him pleading with him to come and heal his servant you know the story I don't have to explain much what happens to him the guy he was not an advant Adventist. He was not going to your church. You can be sure of that. But when he came and he had the announcement that was being given that we are we are sacrificing, we are giving so that we can purchase land where we are going to build fountain of hope 7th DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. THOUGH HE WAS NOT AN ADVENTIST, HE SAID I'm going TO GIVE. ACTUALLY, HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO FINANCE THE ENTIRE BUILDING." WHAT IS THE BUDGET? 50 million. I'm going to purchase the land. HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO build the sanctuary? 15 million. 65 million. Here it is. And you know, as church people, we say, "Amen." And God bless you. The guy never came back to church again. But here he has a caretaker who is taking care of all his businesses. The guy knows if this one dies, I'm done. So he goes to the church elder. He tells Elam Thai and the team, talk a savior. I just need healing for my servant. The Bible says immediately they went and they told listen to these words. Listen what they said. You know what they told him? Jesus I love this. And when they came to Jesus, the church elders of Central Nairobi church, they begged to him earnestly, saying that the one for whom he should do this was deserving. The criteria for deserving. Verse five, FOR HE LOVES OUR NATION and he has built a synagogue. He has built a church for us. Jesus suspended everything else and he went to bring healing to that servant. Tell your neighbor you are genuine prayer and faithful service will never die. TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR COME BACK TO DUTY. I I are you getting what I'm saying? It is very simple. Where you are, God has commissioned you to work from there. FROM SUNDAY TO FRIDAY, THAT is your work station. God expects to be glorified. HE EXPECT HIS BANNER EVERY MORNING. He's the banner of Emmanuel is flying high where you are working on a daily basis. I just came to tell you come back to duty. You remember Elisha? You remember the story of Elisha? You know the Shunamite woman. This lady saw Elijah passing, Elicia passing, and he would give him a a bottle of water, h a plate of Ugali and Managu. And you know the man of godly arised every time he's passing there, he's greeting them. And the lady said, "Husband, let us build a small place for this man of God so that we can make his work easier." And you know, genuine service, faithful service, God will never forget. And God pushes Elisha to ask the lady, "What do you need?" And the lady says, "I need nothing. I I need nothing. He says, "No, don't you worry. I can talk to the king. I can talk to the president. I can talk to the commander of the army. Whatever you need, just say it." The lady says, "I need nothing." And Elisha turns to Gazi and says, "The service we have received, we can't forget. What are we going to do?" Gazi says, "There's an old man here and they need a son." And let me tell you, Elisha does not consult. He just says, "Tell her to come." And this is what my Bible says in verse 16. First 2 Kings 4:16, he tells the lady simply, "At time like this, next year you shall have a son." Does the lady believe? No. Does the lady believe? ACTUALLY, SHE SAYS, "MAN OF GOD, don't lie to me." IN OTHER WORDS, THAT WAS too good TO BE TRUE. THAT WAS HER greatest desire. She was longing to have a son who could inherit everything. But after praying for SO MANY YEARS, AFTER SERVING GOD FOR SO MANY YEARS, she had prayed and the Bible says the husband was old and she said, "NO, MY LORD, MAN OF GOD, do not lie to your maid servant." The following year, did it happen or did it happen? Tell your neighbor prayers don't die. Service don't die. I JUST CAME TO TELL YOU COME BACK TO DUTY. I KNOW PROBABLY WHERE YOU ARE WATCHING me from. Those who ARE HOME, THE LAST TIME YOU CAME TO THIS CHURCH, PROBABLY YOUR PASTOR DISAPPOINTED YOU. PROBABLY A COLLEAGUE SAID SOMETHING BAD ABOUT YOU. IT IS OKAY. COME AND SERVE YOUR GOD. You are safe. YOU ARE SECURE. YOU SHALL BE DELIVERED WHEN you come back to duty. What happened? Few years around 15 years around 17 years the boy is joking around. The boy dies the lady goes straight to Elisha tells did I tell you I needed a son? No. Now I want him alive. He says, "I'm going to send Gazi to Ah, it is you." Was the boy resurrected? Come back to duty. The Lord says, "Even today, I declare a double, a double portion." I don't know what is that you are missing, but the master says, "Come back to duty. Come back to duty." What is this situation that you are going through? I just came to tell you come back to Judy. Do you know of a widow? The widow of Zerapath. You have heard the story. She had the last meal. The last meal. The last meal. She was only to cook how many chapatis? one for the boy and then they wait for the death to come. Here comes Elijah meaning Yahweh is my God. He walks in. He finds the lady picking few sticks. Then he tells her go home cook. In other word, serve my God. Make your agenda to be number two. My agenda to be number one. When you have done that, the flour, the oil will continue flowing until the fine season comes to an end. Is somebody getting what I'm speaking about? Tell your neighbor, come back to duty. The God of the Bible is not a liar. He says, "Return to the stronghold, to the thought, to the secure place. When you come back, the dreams you have been harboring, the disappointments that has been with you along the way. The Lord will work something better for you. He has done it for others. is going to do it for you. Saints of the most high God, I came to encourage you this afternoon. I came with a very simple message. Come back to duty for that is what God desires for you. Actually, he goes an extra mile. As I finish, he goes an extra mile. Listen to this. He goes an extra mile to say when Exodus chapter 2 24 and 25 as I finish this what it says. It is simply talking about the bondage the children of Israel were going through. The Lord says I have seen you are suffering. I have heard what you are going through. But he goes to say, I have remembered. Tell I have remembered the covenant I made with Abraham. Isaac and Jacob. Jacob. Isaac. Abraham. They were servants of the most high God. Servants who never preached even a single sermon. But they were serving God. And when they slept in the sleep of death, the undying God remembered their prayers, remembered their faithful service. AND AS A RESULT, HE CAMES DOWN. He shakes THE ENTIRE ECONOMY OF EGYPT so that he could deliver the children of men who served him faithful in the past. I want to say this that the best gift you can give to your sons and daughters is for you to come back to duty. Serve God with a lot of faithfulness. Make genuine prayers. The God of this church shall deliver every promise he has ever given in your life. Every time you came TO THIS CHURCH, EVERY TIME WHEN you listen TO MINISTERS MINISTERING AND YOU SAID AMEN, Jehovah would like to fulfill that promise. But the challenge, the problem is you. It is not the God of the Bible. Tell him you are the greatest problem for your life. Actually, YOU ARE THE GREATEST OBSTACLE THAT GOD MUST OVERCOME IN ORDER FOR GOD TO RELEASE the blessings that he want to bestow upon you because you're refusing to come back just because somebody drew few words to you and that person was NOT GOD. JUST BECAUSE A CHURCH LEADER LIKE WERO HAS BEEN UNFAITHFUL, that is why you're stopping to serve God. The Lord, the master of the vineard, says, "Come back to duty." >> Tell your neighbor, you must come back to duty. >> Job 36:1, as I'm finishing. Job chapter 36:1. As I'm finishing, I want to read this Job 36 verse 31 in New International Version. In New International Version and I want to remind YOU THAT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS NOT A CON MAN. GOD OF THE BIBLE, ANY PROMISE he made, he fulfilled. The book that was read of Joshua, I mean Joshua chapter 24 verse1 15. When you go I think to 404 45 it says that every promise that God gave he fulfilled. Every promise that God gave he did what? He fulfilled. I want to stand on this altar and declare that every promise that God has ever given to you, he shall fulfill it. Just come back to duty. I don't KNOW THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING US ONLINE. This also IS YOUR MESSAGE. PROBABLY you're in a hospital. Probably you are lonely. Wherever you are, come back to duty. Job 36:11 it says, I'm reading a new international version. Okay, we are going to read this then we read. if they obey and serve him. Anytime you see the word if, it simply means one thing. 99% of everything. So is waiting. If they obey and serve him, hallelujah, they shall spend they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and in contentment. What is this you are looking for? Every time when Jesus came to every congregation, people would rush there. This prayer box it is not full of God I want to go to heaven. It is full of your needs. It is full of your needs. Listen the Lord says number one let me become your agenda number one. If you serve and obey me the rest the rest the rest of your days it's not about your past. It's about where you are going. You shall spend them in what? In prosperity and their ears in contentment. You have to make a choice. Come back, obey, serve God. Prosperity will start looking for you. Prosperity in the spiritual sense, prosperity in the physical sense of the word prosperity. Contentment will be your portion. I don't know how many are saying Lord this day I want to come back to Judy. Who is saying like Isaiah here I am Lord send me. Is there anyone in the congregation who say like Isaiah here I am Lord send me. I'm coming back to duty. I may have left but here I am. I'm coming back to duty. Can I see your hand? Can I see you stand so that we can pray? I want to call pastor Mayo to pray for us. And I want to believe those who are listening online. This is an opportunity next Sabbath be here so that you can come back TO DUTY FROM TOMORROW wherever you are going come back to duty. Let us pray. Mighty God in heaven, you have spoken to us that Lord, you hear prayers. Everything that we have ever uttered, you have heard. Lord, you remember whatever you have promised to do to us. And that kind of remembrance give us an assurance that Lord when we come before you blessings glory from heaven will be able to be with us. You have assured us that we are the problem. We need to come back to you. We need to return to you. You are there waiting for us so that we can be able to return to you. Lord, when we come to you, when we come to your holy presence, Lord, you will be with us. You will be able to bless us and we will rest in your glory. When we are your in your arms, we are safe. We are protected. May you give us your holy presence. Give us your divine glory. People in the Bible have trusted you. You have done several miracles. Lord, you will still do unto us. And may you give us salvation that we may be able to enter into the glory. May your name, God, forever be glorified in Jesus name we pray. Amen.