Foursquare VGC: Recent Episodes
FourSquare VGC
Foursquare VGC is a community of imperfect people who have collided with the saving grace of Jesus. Our heart is to passionately reflect God’s love in the World through inspiring gatherings, meaningful spiritual growth, and volunteer work that makes a tangible difference in our community. Foursquare church would go to any length to tell a person that God loves them and has a plan for their life and that is radically committed to living out the heart of God in their city and around the world.
Many messages and Bible studies have already been held on this theme including reasons for waiting such as patience among other reasons.
The Bible is filled with examples of people who had to wait for God’s timing. Abraham and Sarah had to wait 25 years.
There are various types of freedom: political; economic; etc.
However, what was the freedom Paul was referring to in his letter to the Galatians? The answer is freedom from the "principle" of Law. Paul says that this is the freedom that every person receives and enjoys as a Christian.
What, however, is the problem with this law?
Galatians 2:16-21
- It awakens sinful desire – Romans 7:7-11.
Paul says that knowledge of the Law actually produces a greater desire for sin. Sin becomes more desirable once it is seen as "forbidden".
2.It produces guilt – v.19; Romans 7:18.
Knowledge of the Law produces tremendous guilt because now that we know what right is, we see what we do wrong and that triggers guilty feelings.
- It produces a sense of hopelessness – v.16; Romans 7:24.
Knowledge of the Law and seeing how helpless we are to keep it produces a sense of either despair or cynicism.
We can't fully obey God, and this makes us feel hopeless, and frightened because of the consequences of this disobedience (James 2:9-19). When Paul therefore declares to the Galatians that they were free, he meant that as Christians they were now free from the curse of the "Law".
Christians had to obey human laws, taxes, social situations, but they were free from the principle of Law established by God. The question was - How?
1.Put off the Yoke of Slavery
i.Yoke of Slavery - Galatians 5:1.
Yoke represents slavery, servitude and control by someone else over your life.
It may represent willing service and submission to someone else.
What are examples of other Yokes?
What are examples of Forms of Legalism?
2.Put on the Liberating Yoke of Christ - Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
i.Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden “light.”
ii The word ‘easy’ in Greek means – “kind, gracious.”
iii. The yoke of Christ frees us to fulfill His will.
- Living by the Spirit
i.Living by the Spirit - Galatians 5:16-18 NIV.
•The Christian who lives by faith is not going to become a rebel.
•He is going to experience the inner discipline of God that is far better than the outer discipline of man-made rules.
•No man could become a rebel who depends on God’s grace, yields to God’s Spirit, lives for others, and seeks to glorify God.
ii.Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23.
Apostle Paul and the Churches in Galatia. The infiltration of the Judaizers.
I. THE DESCRIPTION OF OUR FREEDOM
A. Legalism versus Grace
Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ – Galatians 3-4.
The true gospel of Christ involves a freedom from the slavery of Jewish legalism.
B. Abraham
Historical Facts – Galatians 4:19-23
Paul used the events in the life of Abraham as a basis for his argument for Christian liberty (freedom).
Sequence the events in Abraham’s life in a chronological order: Genesis 12 - 21
The Old Covenant Law
Hagar the slave
Ismael, conceived after the flesh Earthly Jerusalem in bondage
The New Covenant
Grace
Sarah the free woman
Isaac, conceived miraculously Heavenly Jerusalem, which is free
Ismael versus Isaac (Flesh versus Spirit) - Galatians 4:22-29
In Abraham’s home we see the same basic conflicts that we Christians face today: ▪ Hagar versus Sarah = law versus grace.
▪ Ismael versus Isaac = flesh versus Spirit.
▪ You cannot separate these four factors.
The Judaizers taught that law made the believer more spiritual, but Paul made it clear that law only releases the opposition of the flesh and a conflict within the believer ensues. (Romans 7:19)
There was no law strong enough either to change or to control Ismael, but Isaac never needed any law.
God bound Himself with a covenant to His people, the Israelites, as a sign of His graciousness and mercy so that He could freely relate with them and sign them up for His blessings.
However, God's covenant with His people is promissory and obligatory (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
In Deuteronomy 28:1, Moses stated the condition for receiving the all-round blessings God promised in the preceding verses: "If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth."
We must take note of the two important verbs in this verse: obey and follow. They bothemphasise hearing the word of God and acting on it.
Isaac's experience in Gerar is crucial in this year's theme. Besides the famine of
Abraham's day, there was famine in the land. This seems to be a 'hereditary
problem' that can force people to make the wrong decision.
However, God appeared unto Isaac, signifying a relationship between God and Isaac.
Despite the famine, God told Isaac to stay in the land of Gerar and not go to Egypt,
and he obeyed. It was there that God blessed Isaac exponentially and made him
great.
We also may be going through a season of famine in our lives (i.e. poverty,
barrenness, sinful habit, spiritual decline, unemployment, bad luck, stagnation,
etc.). We must take a cue from Isaac by refusing to take a precipitous decision with
long-lasting effect, based merely on the temporary famine of this moment without
seeking guidance from God. God desires to bless us, and He's committed to His
promises: “And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou shalt
hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 28:2). Irrespective of our
standing/position in the blessings of God, He still wants to bless us more and more
with generational blessings.
However, we must be weary of stagnation, unfruitfulness, and other vices that are
not making us progress in our relationship with God. A great man of God once said,
"The oppressor's strength is in the oppressed’s silence." Until you get tired of your
situations, your situations will not get tired of you. We must know when to tell the
devil, "Enough is enough!" We must say no to his manipulation.
In addition, Isaac's story teaches us what all-around blessings look like (the
picture), the reasons for all-around blessings (purpose), and the principles for
sustaining all-around blessings.
Are you prepared and available for God’s use?
Do you know if you are the one to solve the problem of our time?
Have you encountered God?
It requires hard work to gracefully grow together devotedly at home since all marital relationships pass through trying periods to varying degrees. (Hosea 2:19-20; Romans 15:1-2; Genesis 16:1-4; 18:1-2, cf. 11:28)
Such trying periods are best managed or overcome with sacrificial love, which is the acid test of the love relationships between an individual and God, as well as among family members. (Genesis 22:2-3; 17:1-2)
Sacrificial love is the only thing that works for the people of the Kingdom when everything else has failed to work well. (1 John 4:10)
In this message, we shall look into the issues involved in sacrificial love among family members; an ingredient that is vital to pleasing God, and gracefully growing together devotedly at home. (2 Peter 3:18)
The principles for leading a devoted family are all in the Bible and make life easy for us. We can, however, make a very difficult work of it when we deviate.
To start with, our DNA must be changed from the Adamic nature to that of Jesus. (Romans 3:23; 3:10; Romans 6:22-23; John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 John 1:7; Philemon 1:6)
Being the leader of a devoted family requires TOTAL dependence on Jesus. Are you one?
You can tell your failings to Him and He will surely help you.
Do you want to reverse the odd road you have been travelling? You can talk to Him today.
This day is set aside to celebrate Mothers.
Why do we need to celebrate mothers?
We celebrate them because they are very special and play a very important role in the lives of their children who grow up to be men and women who make up the society. Being a mother comes with heavy responsibilities.
The life of a mother is a life of sacrifice. Therefore, today’s topic is not just for women but for both men and women.
It is a wake- up call for us as Christians to practice the God-kind of love in all our relationships at home and in the society.
A fortnight ago, I fellowshiped with and ministered at our daughter church, The Wellspring Foursquare Church, Lekki-Oniru, (one of the five expressions of the Lekki-Oniru Foursquare Church) at their first (1st) anniversary.
Their theme was ‘The legacy of Faith’ and the focus was on Lois, Eunice and Timothy.
As I shared on the theme and the story of that family, I noticed that the influence of the Father of Eunice, the husband of Lois was missing.
The account was also silent on the spiritual influence of the husband of Eunice and the father of Timothy.
I was forced on that occasion to ask the question, ‘where are the men?’
I was pleasantly delighted as I started reflecting on our passage and message for this morning to see that, at the forefront of a devout family was a devout man called Cornelius.
My heart was truly delighted to see the difference that a devout man made in his family.
Are you a Devout man?
Devoted means to be very committed, dedicated, or loyal to a person or a thing/cause.
Family means “A group of two or more persons related by birth (blood), marriage, or adoption who live together.”
In our context this month, a devoted family is a family that is very committed, dedicated, or loyal to God and to one another.
In this study, we will reflect on two truly devoted families in the Bible to illustrate what a devoted family is and, for contrast, one fake devoted family to illustrate what it is not.
The work of Christ our Redeemer is not just a call to association but a call to involvement in living the life of Christ as our redemption is ‘unto good works.’
There is the necessity of the doing which can only come from a life that is deeply rooted - entrenched and intertwined with Christ.
This is the true implication of redemption.
Any other way will hinder what God intends to do through us.
God’s ultimate desire is that as our roots go deeper in Christ, we will bear real fruits upwards that testify to His redeeming grace and bring glory to His name. (Matthew 5:16)
The scripture is clear that through our Lord Jesus Christ’s redemptive and reconciliation work, all Christians are international members of the new and unique community of God.
International because it is expected that there should no longer be ethnicity, race and gender distinctions.
In our text, Apostle Paul, after calling on the church to be what it is expected to be (Ephesians 4:1-2), followed up with exhortation to unity as one body.
The new community is created from sinful and disordered humanity. The Bible affirms the sinfulness of the human race and its attendant consequences.
Disunity is one of such.
Heritage is something passed to or bestowed on someone. Usually, the basis of heritage is relationships.
In this context, our unity is because of our relationship with Christ Jesus. In other words, our unity or state of oneness is in Christ the Redeemer.
Jesus was intentional in His ministry in homes. In some cases, He initiated the visit. In other cases, He honoured invitations even from “confirmed” sinners and enemies. This is a big lesson for us to learn.
Let’s examine a few of the things He did in his ministry in homes:
He built relationships – Lazarus and the sisters, Mary, and Martha. (Luke 10:38-41)
People were saved (e.g. Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10). In this case, Jesus initiated the visit. In the end He proclaimed: “Today salvation has come to this house….” (Luke 19:9)
Jesus used the home ministry opportunities to perform miracles, and to teach the general truth on various subjects: Jesus at the Chief Pharisee’s home (Luke 14:1-23).
Discipleship, especially with the disciples. (Mark 9:28-29)
No discrimination – He ministered in the homes of the rich, the outcasts, the saints and “confirmed” sinners but ensured Contact without contamination.
The Cross is a project which started way before Jesus hung on a literal cross. So, we see references to it across the Bible even as early as in Genesis 3:15.
In fact, the Bible refers to the Lord as the “Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
Whereas the work done is not exhaustively captured in this chapter, Isaiah 53 captures/buttresses the essence, basis (v.6) and provisions of Christ’s atonement and redemption work He accomplished.
Shame vs. glory. Curses vs. blessings.
As believers, we are called to live in the reality of our redemption in Christ.
By recognizing our old selves, embracing our new identity, and living out our redemption in practical ways, we reflect the transformative power of Christ to the world around us.
Let us continually seek to grow in likeness to Christ, allowing His redeeming work to shape every aspect of our lives.
BLESSINGS FROM CHRIST OUR REDEEMER - Ephesians 1:7-12
A.He Has Redeemed Us (Ephesians 1:7a)
“In him we have redemption through his blood, …..”
To redeem means “purchase, by paying a price and set free.”
1.The Person - Who made our redemption possible – Jesus Christ – His grace.
2.The Price – of our redemption is His blood – He died for us – Romans 5:8-9 .NIV
Ownership – bought at a great price – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Hebrews ;NIV 9:12
3.Redeemed from Slavery
•Human beings are as slaves to sin who are then redeemed by God, paid for with the highest imaginable price – His Son, Jesus Christ.
•There are different Greek words in the New Testament for redeemed, lutroo – which means “to redeem or ransom, to set free.”
•That is the word used in 1 Peter 1:18 and Titus 2:14.
•Lutroo is the Greek word used for redemption in Luke 24:21; 1 Peter 1:18; and Titus 2:14 - Because we have been bought out of the slave market of sin, we are set free to be sons of God.
•You could buy a slave to keep as a slave – (Exagorazo – Greek)
4.This means we are free from the law – Galatians 5:1.
5.This means we are free from Satan and the world – Galatians 1:4; Colossians 1:13-14.
John recorded the life and ministry of Jesus to encourage the reader to put his/her faith in the risen Lord.
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)
The experience, encounter and exchange with the risen Lord brought joy, praise, authority, and power for service and most importantly the assurance of His continuous presence to His disciples.
We have the same assurance, so wherever your faith is today, broken as Mary’s, wavering as the disciples, or doubting as Thomas, Jesus reassures us that He is the risen Lord and that the victory over sin, death and Satan is won. Hallelujah
THE BIG QUESTION –
There is a big question that Jesus asked those with Him when Mary ran to meet Him.
That question – each person must answer personally. At this season of Easter and today that represents the day that our REDEEMER rose from the dead to complete the work of redemption, we confront that question afresh –
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 )NI
●The Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome awaiting trial before Caesar.
He had been arrested as an insurrectionist against the Empire, and Paul was faced with the real possibility of losing his life for his faith in Jesus Christ.
Caesar had the power of death and used that power without hesitation.
●The Apostle Paul and his relationship with the Phillipi church when Paul was to face trial.
In the verses that follow verse 21, Paul explains that no matter what happens, whether he lives or whether he dies, either way is gain.
He is wrestling with whether he wants to keep on living and whether he would be willing to die. He’s wrestling with a simple question, “to live or to die?”
You may be facing many trials all at once? Many different battles and challenges.
To buy back by paying a ransom.
Clearance of debt or owed obligation to repossess pledged collateral.
The Means
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. (Ephesians 1:7)
The cross is the means through which God has redeemed fallen man. It is on its basis that God extends any mercy to both fallen and redeemed man.
How Did We Get to The Point of Needing Redemption?
The first Adam fell.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God in the first Adam – because of his fall.
17 NLT-Romans 5:12
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”
14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
The word “compels” can also be rendered controls, constrains, confines, etc. It leaves no option. It is the most logical response in gratitude to the redemption of God.
The fact is when we understand what Christ has done through His redemption, we also like Paul, would feel compelled to live for Him – anything less could be a result of:
•lack of understanding of what redemption entails.
•Ingratitude.
•Distraction.
•Sick heart, etc.
If we have been so favoured and Christ died to reconcile us back to God, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation bestowed upon us? (Hebrews 2:3) We will have no excuse if we neglect the ransom paid for us and we choose to live in slavery to the devil.
We must examine our lives and give our lives to Him. We must rededicate our lives and give them totally and completely to Him so we can be partakers of His grace and gift to mankind.
Can a Christian, who has been redeemed by the Blood ofJesus, be subject to a curse?
To address this question, we must differentiate between what is legally ours and what we experience.
Can a Christian legally be under a curse?
The answer is clearly, 'no.' The subsequent inquiry is, 'can aChristian experientially be under a curse?'
To explore this, let's pose another question: 'can a Christian be legally sick?'
The answer is unequivocally no, for Jesus bore all our sicknesses and pains on the Cross (Matthew 8:17), and by His stripes, we were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
However, a Christian can experience illness. Similarly, can a Christian sin?
According to 1 John 3:9, 'Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin...' Hence, legally, we cannot sin, but in practice, many of us still do and must regularly confess and repent of our sins.
The same principle applies to curses.
Legally, we cannot be subject to a curse, yet manybelievers experience curses in their lives.
As with every aspect of the Christian journey, we must appropriate what is legally ours and make it ourreality by applying God's Word to our lives and obeying the Holy Spirit.
Man is a spirit, he has a soul and dwells in a body. Our redemption or salvation is a three-stage process, impacting all the three dimensions of man. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
First, our spirit undergoes regeneration or being born again, receives eternal life (John 17:3), and becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), when we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This is our justification.
Then follows a lifelong process of getting our soul (will, intellect and emotion) renewed, spirit-controlled and becoming progressively mature and Christlike. (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 18:3) This is our progressive sanctification; by this process, our soul is being saved or redeemed.
In the meantime, we are expected to present our bodies unto God as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1) At the coming of our Lord, our bodies will be glorified, then our redemption will be completed. (1 John 3:1-3) This is our glorification.
God’s aim in our redemption is to restore us to our original state before the fall so that we can reflect His image and likeness, fully exercising dominion and ruling the earth on His behalf.
The question we must constantly ask ourselves is, ‘how much of this redemption am I experiencing?’
The New Bible Dictionary defines redemption as “deliverance from some evil by payment of a price."
The Strong's Concordance definition of apolutrosis (redemption) is a release effected by payment of ransom.
The word Redemption is specifically mentioned more than 50 times in the Bible and is first mentioned in the book of Exodus.
It involves bondages, a price, a ransom, deliverance, legal rights, and duties.
Redemption is God’s plan. God is the ultimate redeemer, saving His chosen ones from sin, evil, trouble, bondage, and death.
Redemption is an act of God's grace, by which He rescues and restores His people.
It is the summary of the New Testament - the birth of the redeemer, act of redemption to full redemption.
In the Garden of Eden, shortly after creation, Man yielded to Satan’s temptation and sinned against God.
With that sin, Man lost his relationship with God and lost eternal life. Since then, Man remained under the dominion of sin and Satan.
From that very moment God conceived a redemption plan to reconcile Man to Himself and restore eternal life to man.
It was an expansive and precious redemption plan.
The term “Abba” is the defining term for dear father in the Aramaic language, spoken by
Jesus and Paul. It is an intimate term to characterize their personal relationships with
God.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). Therefore, only the Lord Jesus, by
nature, can call God “Abba.” Jesus is begotten of God, not made.
The character of Abba-Father is to relentlessly pursue His children in order to establish
a deep and intimate relationship with each and every one of them. His desire is to bridge
every gap or chasm between Him and each of us; to know each person completely and
love you unconditionally.
Viewing God as your Heavenly Father and believing that He invites you to a life of intimate
relationship or union with Him, is a distinctive privilege of the Christian faith. The
other faiths believe that God is too Holy and powerful to be approached or related with in
a filial manner.
The Lord, our Father, is an all-sufficient God. He does not need anyone or anything else to provide for His children.
He has everything and all resources under His control.
If indeed He is your father and you know of His capacity, His resources, His generosity, His grace, His favour and how much He loves us, why then do you engage in many fruitless exercises of worrying yourself?
Why are you debating, contemplating and doubting in your heart that this year you will receive an all-round blessings?
Why are you upset and worried about so many things? Luke 10:41-42 “Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her.”
How sufficient is the Lord, our Father, to meet our needs?
Understanding God as our heavenly Father invites us into a deeply personal and transformative relationship characterized by love, trust, and intimacy.
It reassures us of our identity and significance as cherished children of God, destined to dwell in His presence forever.
As we delve deeper into this topic, let us take time to examine some of the attributes of God as our Heavenly Father and reflect on how we can cultivate a meaningful relationship with Him.
In the vast tapestry of Scripture, we encounter glimpses of the majestic attributes of God – facets of His character that reveal His nature and draw us closer to Him.
As we embark on this journey of exploration, let us open our hearts and minds to the profound depths of God's being, seeking to know Him more intimately through His Word.
What does it mean to address God as “My Father”?
First, there is a general sense in which God is a Father of all people, since they are His offspring as Creator.
Paul spoke of this to the pagans at Athens in Acts 17:26-28.
But the Bible also teaches that ever since the human race rebelled against God, sinning in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), all of us enter life alienated from God.
In fact, Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that they were of their father, the devil (John 8:44).
It is only when a person is born spiritually by God’s will and power that one becomes a child of God in the true sense. John 1:11-13 speaks about Jesus.
You need to be born again. (Ephesians 2:18)
Our bible study today will focus on “my loving heavenly Father”: His immeasurable and everlasting love.
Our right to call Him Father stems from our spiritual relationship with Him.
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 NIV
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 NIV
God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:5 NLT)
This month, the leading is that we need to focus on our HEAVENLY FATHER the source of our all-round blessings.
Let us focus on:
•The Source than on the blessings.
•The great Provider than the provision.
•The Giver than the gift.
I pray that every worshipper will individually connect to our HEAVENLY FATHER in a unique way, like we have never done before.
I pray it will be a time of closer bonding with our HEAVENLY FATHER and assuming ownership of our relationship with the Father.
This explains why “My Heavenly Father” is both the theme for the month and the title of our message this morning.
The Lord has promised us that this is our year of all-round blessings. Let’s hold on to His word, and walk and work in the consciousness of His promise.
Let’s be obedient to His instructions and covet His presence in our lives. We will be blessed in all areas of our life as we allow His dwelling with us.
The favour of God takes you to places and events where money, possessions, hard work and your strength can never take you to.
There are times in the calendar of God when He steps in to favour His children. In such situations your days will never be the same.
The word of God tells us that there is a time when God shows favour to His children. This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favour I will answer you” (Isaiah 49:8).
Isaiah 61:2 talks about “the year of the Lord’s favour.” Psalm 102:13 says, “You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favour to her; the appointed time has come.”
In Psalm 5:12 we read “For surely O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.” Without the favour of God, we will find it difficult to make it in our society where wickedness and corruption abound.
Dear Child of God, one touch of God’s favour will turn everything around in your life.
God finished creating the world and said that everything He made was good. In other words, no part of creation is bad. The problem is that, most times, we don’t know what to do with whatever we have or where we are.
Israel, Dubai, Abu-Dahbi, etc., have proved that anywhere can be turned into a prosperous, flourishing, desirable, and highly productive place; if and only if, we know what to do.
The first thing that God did to Adam and Eve after they were created was to bless them, and instruct them on what to do with the blessing – to be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the rest of creation. (Genesis 1:26-28)
Our being blessed is a primary priority and a fundamental aspect in God’s plans and dealings with us.
In Christ, God has already blessed us and made the blessing available to us.
The promise has been made and is there for the asking and taking.
If you could have it without God, then you would have it by now. Secondly, God would not have had to make it a promise to us, if we could get it by ourselves without His participation or involvement.
Self-effort and human achievement is not what the Bible means by the blessing.
The blessing involves God’s hand and participation – it is supernatural in a sense. If your blessings can be explained without God, it is not “blessed.” Blessing(s) come exclusively from God.
God’s blessings are real.
God desires to fulfil His promises and make them a reality in the lives of His children.
God’s character is to bless. At creation He blessed. (Genesis 1:28)
Our Lord Jesus at the end of His ministry and time on earth, He blessed. (Luke 24:50-51)
The Lord our God is faithful, and He will keep all His promises, He has given us grace to walk with Him in Obedience and faith.
(Matthew 11:28-30) God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy, and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(1 Corinthians 1:9 AMP) And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
As we approach the end of the year 2023, I want us to do so on a note of gratitude to God and enter the year 2024 on a note of confidence – realizing that we have been exalted by grace.
POSITION in Christ, PLAN – God’s plan that provides these blessings and PURPOSE of God behind these blessings.
The Lord will Guide You Continually - Rev Peter Ameadaji (31 December, 2023 Crossover Service)
Christmas is the celebration of the Grace of God to man. The first Christmas celebration was held by the angels at the birth of Jesus. They were rejoicing that the birth of Jesus has brought God’s favour to men – His grace.
Luke 2:8-14
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
To help us appreciate why Christmas is a great celebration of God’s grace, we will look at the What, the Why, the How and the When of the grace of God.
The concept of Grace and Glory is best typified by the personality of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus is described as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” – John 1:29b. He is also described as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” (Revelations 5:5b NKJV)
The Lamb and the Lion are very interesting mammals in many ways. But more interestingly, they represent the two ends of a pole. The one is meek, weak, gentle, and mostly used for sacrifice. The other is strong, courageous, fierce, and royal. The king of his kingdom, respected, feared, and merciless. The one is the embodiment of Grace; the other is the embodiment of Glory.
This morning, we shall be considering the personality of the Lord Jesus as;
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The Embodiment of Grace (The Lamb), and
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The Embodiment of Glory (The Lion)
Grace, like love, has been so used, and perhaps misused, that it has become somewhat of a cliché. We have to make sure it doesn't stay that way or else we would lose its essence and advantage. Grace is multi-faceted and we may be limited by attempting to define it. It may be best-described. As we go on looking at it, the Holy Spirit has a way to open our eyes of understanding to what it is, at least an aspect of it, so that we can have some perspective into what grace entails.
The word "glory" comes from the Latin word "gloria," which means "exalted reputation, honour, or distinction. The Greek word “charis” is translated into grace.
It means a favour bestowed; a generous benefit freely given.
It is an Unmerited favour or undeserved favour. It is favour bestowed by God through His power to transform a person’s life, starting at salvation unto eternal life; we are a product of God’s grace.
We do not qualify for what we received, we do not have personal capacity to achieve what we achieved, we do not have resources to do what we did; we are simply a product of God’s grace and benevolence.
God’s immeasurable resources, power and wisdom is made available to us so that glory can rightly belong to Him, this is product of His grace.
No wonder the most important prayers of believers is anchored on three things which are led by His grace! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy spirit…. Grace is required for our journey and there is abundance of grace for all we go through either pleasant or unpleasant.
God is able to make sufficient grace available to us all. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV)
We will look at the sufficiency of His grace and how it brings glory unto the Lord.
The glory of God is a concept deeply woven throughout the Bible. Let’s explore what Scripture reveals about it:
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Creation Declares His Glory: Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” When we gaze at the vastness of the universe, the intricate design of nature, and the beauty around us, we catch glimpses of God’s magnificence and splendour.
2.
Humans Were Made for His Glory: Isaiah 43:7 tells us that humans were created for the glory of God. We bear His image, and our purpose is to honour Him with our lives. Genesis 1:27 emphasizes that God made us in His image.
3.
Jesus Reveals God’s Glory: Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus as “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Through Jesus, we see the invisible God made visible. His life, death, and resurrection display God’s glory.
Grace is a word we use very often. Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t lost touch with the full meaning or impact of the word.
Biblically, grace is said to mean:
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Unmerited favour or underserved favour.
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A gift that cannot be worked for or earned.
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Grace gives and gives freely.
Grace comes from God – God is the source of Grace – Ephesians 1:6-7.
God is the God of all grace – 1 Peter 5:10.
Grace begins with God.
God is grace, just as He is love, etc.
The Psalmist concludes this Psalm 84 in verse 12:
“O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” NIV
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How lovely it is when our lives become the dwelling place of God, when He inhabits our innermost being, when we find our home and our rest with Him.
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How rich and wonderous is the life of those whose sun and shield is God Himself.
Truly blessed are the men, women, or children who put all their trust in Him.
TASTE AND SEE THE LORD IS GOOD.
“In the old days, men condemned murder; and truly murder is forever wrong.
But I tell you that not only are man’s outward actions under judgment; his [innermost] thoughts are also under the scrutiny and the judgement of God.
Long-lasting anger is bad; contemptuous speaking is worse, and the careless or the malicious talk which destroys a man’s good name is worst of all.
The man who is a slave of anger, the man who speaks in the [tone] of contempt, the man who destroys another’s good name, may have never committed murder in action, but he is a murderer at heart.”
To rephrase what I stated earlier, “The one who exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is not the person who is satisfied in knowing he hasn’t committed murder; it is the person who is satisfied only when every inch of his heart is right with God.”
We all have varied expectations. The list may be inexhaustive and influenced by situations and circumstances.
Waiting is a hard task. Imagine being in the waiting room of a labour ward! When waiting is properly done, and particularly for the Lord, it will include: watching, including being alert.
The act of staying or remaining in expectation. Attendance, service, etc.
Psalm 37:7
Waiting on the Lord can be tough, demanding and testing. However, God’s timing is always the best and leads to Exceeding Expectations!!!
Your testimony is assured in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Life is made up of a chain of relationships linked by exchange of services and accompanying expectations.
These relationships on the human level include family, marketplace, workplace, school, etc. On the spiritual level we also have our relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters.
The expectations inherent in these relationships include:
• The quality of services rendered.
• Promises and commitments made and kept.
• Quality of communications.
• Integrity, harmony, empathy, etc.
When these expectations are met or exceeded, there is satisfaction, harmony and progress. If not, the result is always, disaffection, confusion and retrogression.
Satisfying God’s expectations ought to be our major preoccupation in life. Not every act of worship, prayer, offering is acceptable to Him (John 4:22-24). After all, all that matters at the end of the day is whether or not the Lord commends us. (Matthew 25:21-22; 2 Corinthians 10:17,18)
In this study, I want us to focus on our relationship with God and ask, ‘How can I live a life that consistently meets and exceeds God’s expectation?’
It is our responsibility to study the word of God and learn the ways of God and relate with Him accordingly. When we do, He is satisfied and in return blesses us. (Daniel 11:32; Ephesians 1:17-19; Hebrews 3:7-13)
God has given us all the support we need and justifiably has expectations of us. (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3-11)
For us to exceed expectations as our Awesome God intended, we need to key into His purpose for creating us; love Him above all else and diligently walk in obedience to His Word, trusting His timing on all things.
Our limitations in understanding God’s mighty greatness may stem from the fact that we see Him in parts.
Our God is indescribable. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Believers should approach His throne of grace in humble adoration, trusting that He will exceed all expectations we can ever imagine or dream of.
“Delay” in our expectations is only a timing challenge. Always trust in God’s timing, keep faith, and hold on to Him.
He is our God of exceeding abundance. May we always remember that God’s greatest gift is our salvation, the exceeding blessedness of eternal life with Him now and forever.
The path to exceeding expectation will not always be easy and smooth. We live in an era when we want everything made easy.
In discussing the topic – Path to Exceeding God’s Expectation today, I will focus attention on:
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Explaining God’s Expectation
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Establishing the Basis for God’s Expectation, and
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Exceeding Expectation – Not always an easy pathway.
The word ‘Excelsior’ is used to describe something that is higher in quality than the conventional. It refers to something in the upward direction for good. Excelsior has to do with excellence.
Our theme is “Exceeding Expectation.” This means going well above the standard requirement. It is a known fact that the first class students don’t rely only on what they get from their teachers but do extra studies and gather extra materials and knowledge for themselves.
Similarly, those who perform exceedingly well in their places of work, vocation, calling or leadership, are those that deliver more than expected. Companies that deliver more than what their customers paid for will always remain on top in the marketplace.
Today, we shall be considering the concept of Excelsior (Exceeding Expectation) from three standpoints:
1.Excelsior and God
2.Excelsior as the way up
3.Excelsior and Divine Attraction
The word ‘Excelsior’ is used to describe something that is higher in quality, something in the upward direction for good. In other words, excelsior has to do with excellence.
Our theme is “Exceeding Expectation.” This means going well above the average or standard requirement. We know that true first class students hardly rely only on the notes they take from the class. They usually go further to study other materials.
The people that excel the most in their workplaces are those given to self-development and improvement. The companies that stay up in the marketplace are usually those that deliver more than the expectations of their customers and the public.
DEMONIC CONSPIRACIES AGAINST THE GREAT COMMISSION - SAM KPUTU I SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE I 29 OCTOBER 2023
The Greek word (kerdaino) which means “to gain,” “acquire,” or “win (over)” was used five times in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 by Apostle Paul.
It was a transactional term used in the ancient business world to describe making a profit or trading up for something better.
In effect, Paul saw himself as an agent of Jesus Christ offering lost people something far greater than they had.
Were people enslaved to sin? Paul wanted to win them over to forgiveness and freedom in Christ.
Were they futilely attempting to gain their own salvation by keeping the law? Paul sought to win them over to the grace of the gospel.
He said, “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22) He was laser-focused on soul-winning.
For him, it was a personal choice and commitment toward winning people to Christ irrespective of their race, status, and position in the society.
Passion for souls is a work of the Spirit in a yielded and willing heart and mind. It must be sought for intentionally.
It can wane if not nurtured, guarded, and utilised.
Let us be careful and keep watch on ours. Support for missions and missionaries such as interceding, giving and going are avenues to fan the flame and utilize our passion for the lost.
Our motive, goal and objective must be to do the Lord’s will, and to finish what He has for us.
Passion helps us to do this. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34 NIV)
Your passion is what you are known for. Jesus is known by His passion to save the lost.
What are you known for? Is it connected to reaching and saving the lost?
Taking Territories : Rev Pade Tokun (SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE- Foursquarevgc - OCTOBER 15, 2023)
The subject of taking territories is as interesting as it is involving. Interesting because it connotes new acquisitions, expansions, new opportunities, privileges, etc., and involving because it requires determination, perseverance, doggedness, mental and physical exertions, sacrifices, risks to lives and properties, etc.
It also involves serious plans on how to secure and retain the territories after taking them.
Our topic today; Passion for Souls, under our theme, means acquiring territories for Christ by winning souls back into the Kingdom of God and establishing these souls in Christ to continue the Kingdom work until the Lord Jesus returns.
Thank God that you have been born. You are definitely born for a purpose.
Difficulties or perceived hurdles are NOT enough to stop you from fulfilling your purpose.
Joshua despite all challenges led the Israelites to the promised land.
You are saved so that others can be saved through you. This is your major purpose in life. Ensure this is achieved.
We are grateful to God for this month of October. This month in our Movement is usually dedicated to Missions and Evangelism.
The theme for this month across the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria is “TAKING TERRITORIES” and the theme text is Joshua 1:1-2.
Our topic for this morning’s message is “PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO SPREADING THE GOSPEL.”
The Great Commission is a command and obligation, yet only a fraction of believers is committed to obeying the command or honouring their obligation to the Commission.
As I look at our Church, I wonder how many of us are truly committed to spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The banking sector is already saturated, but opportunities exist within the sector, especially in Fintechs.
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Nigeria remained underserved in payment, lending, insurance and other financial service Tech focused areas.
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Business with strong digital offerings and strategic business diversifications are positioned to thrive
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The anticipated macroeconomic recovery will improve consumer spending, allow Consumer goods companies to increase production volumes and lines.
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Global commodity prices will decline in 2023, thus input cost will be lower. This is expected to be a positive implication for margins.
Source: GMB Research
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Nigeriagenerates62,000,000tonsofwasteannuallyoutofwhichonly20%-30%arecollectedandthisisduetothedifficultyofeffectivelycollectingwastefromhouseholds,hospitalsandevencommercialcentres
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Recyclingbusinesssuchasbatteryrecycling,plasticRecycling,paperrecycling,aluminiumandCanrecycling,wastesharingmobileappcanthriveinNigeriaifpropermethodsarebeenputintowastecollectionprocedures
RECYCLING
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AFDB special agro-industrial processing zones will reduce transaction costs and drive productivity for investors and enterprise.
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Nigeria is one of the largest producers of various high-demand cash crops, however it has imported food and agricultural products worth $537 million from the US alone over the past 5 years.
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There are various opportunities to produce value-add agricultural products like intermediate food products (vegetable oils and animal fats), consumer-oriented products (processed vegetables, wine, dairy products etc), and fish products, biopharma and cosmetics plants
As Nigeria grapples with persistent high inflation, it is crucial for investors to arm themselves with knowledge and strategies to safeguard and grow their wealth.
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Inflation can have both detrimental and beneficial effects on an economy, depending on its severity and the government's ability to manage it effectively
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High inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, so it's essential to adapt investment approach in times as this.
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This presentation is aimed at achieving two things:
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Understanding Inflation and its Impact.
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Providing valuable insights and actionable tactics for investors navigating a high inflationary environment, drawing from real-world examples from around the globe, across Africa, and within Nigeria.
Our stewardship as believers covers a wide spectrum (range). Across that spectrum we are expected to be good and faithful stewards.
Across this range, the stewardship of money and possessions stand out as important and hit at the very crux of our Christianity.
The bible says so much on money and possessions than most other subjects.
It’s time for us to reconsider and return to faithfulness in our relationships, especially with God; Jesus was in essence telling the Ephesians in Revelations 2:1-7 that they have not been faithful even though they served Him diligently, were discerning, and agile against false apostles and doctrines because they left their first love. In 1 Word from the NKJV: What did they do? (v.4) How did He see them? (v.5) What did He ask them to do? (v.5) Who did He promise to reward? (v.7)
Giving in all its forms is generally encouraged in the scriptures. Recognising God’s ownership over our lives could imply your time, money, property, intellect self and many more.
Is tithing confined to the Old Testament or is it an Old Testament practice of the law? What is the purpose of tithing?
The subject of stewardship is so important to both God and man that its significance can NEVER be overemphasized.
We shall, therefore, start today’s Bible Study by refreshing our minds on what we understand by a steward and try to answer the question of whether everyone is, or should be a steward.
A steward, in the ancient world, was a person who was given the responsibility and authority to rule over the affairs of the household. For example, the Patriarch, Joseph, became a steward in Potiphar’s household; he managed everything in the household and was given the authority to rule over the house. (Genesis 39:1-69)
A steward can be described as a person given the responsibility to manage resources – both human and material, and to account to a boss or a master. We can therefore infer that a steward is a servant, albeit a servant with authority and responsibility, reporting to a boss or a master.
In modern language those who work in government establishments are referred to as civil servants. Thus, the president and state governors are referred to as public servants.
In summary, therefore, we can rightly infer that in our context, a steward could be referred to as a servant, manager, administrator, or resource controller with the authority to manage and control resources to the satisfaction of the person or body of persons that elected or appointed him/her. In other words, there is a responsibility on the side of the steward to meet certain expectations. He/she is accountable and ought to present a good report card.
The instruction of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV), summarizes the heart and pursuit of a faithful steward.
We must live daily seeking to be faithful stewards of everything the Lord has entrusted to us.
A sure path to fruitfulness and multiplication is to meet God’s expectations of faithful stewardship of all that He has already entrusted to us.
The call and command to be a faithful steward is one that we must always give serious thought to. We must live daily seeking to be faithful stewards of everything the Lord has entrusted to us.
A sure path to fruitfulness and multiplication is to meet God’s expectations of faithful stewardship of all that He has already entrusted to us.
What do our lives say about God's character and integrity?
Let us repent of ways we have cowered and given God's character and integrity a negative image by our (in)action.
Let's pray: Lord I want to know you more than Job did. Remember Job's end.
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6 NIV) Do we truly believe that?
Thanksgiving for His consolation, comfort, and care.
As I reflect and meditate over our theme and the passages, the message I receive repeatedly is that we are at the threshold of experiencing a great move of God. God is always ready to lift limits provided we understand His purpose for doing so, His plan for achieving that goal, and what positioning we take. Our theme references drive us right back to God’s purpose – To bless and to make us a blessing.
Platform thinking –embrace the open mindset to drive deeper & broader engagement & outreach
Content living –relentless generation & distribution of content across multiple digital channels
Agile Culture –experiment, test, course-correct, learn, grow
How do we sustain our confidence in Christ in an ungodly world?
Dispassionately and prayerfully conduct a self-audit to discern your true spiritual state. (Psalm 139:23-24; 19:12-14)
• Confess and forsake immediately any sin for which you have been convicted by the Holy Spirit. (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:8-10)
• Boldly draw near with a full assurance of faith. (Hebrews 10:19-22, 4:16)
• Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, even when we do not fully understand what is happening, trusting that God is working His purposes in our life. (Hebrews 10:23, 35-39; Job 19:25-27; Romans 8:37-39)
• Provoke one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Do not allow the devil to isolate you.
Lack of faith or confidence in God is equivalent to calling God a liar and untrustworthy. This type of reasoning turns the person into an enemy of God.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
In the book of Numbers, we see the pain of God due to the unbelief of the children of God.
“Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?
12I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” (Numbers 14:11-12 NKJV)
Do not allow the situations of life, the challenges of today and the everyday events erode your confidence.
The “confidence eroders” such as fear, unbelief, doubt, and all sorts will always come up and be thrown at you to shift your focus away from the Lord.
Do not make room for them. Trust in the Lord and have faith in Him, no matter the challenges in life, you will come out victorious as Paul declares in Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Head or tail, you are the winner; do not lose your confidence, put your trust in the Promissor and live a confident life.
Living in confidence in Christ is the best defense against temptations. Confidence moves your character towards perfection, for you allow the Lord to control you.
• David admits that there were times when he had to go through the valley. This phrase is meant to speak of any dark situation where you cannot see your way in life.
• To have confidence is to have freedom from doubt; to have trust or faith in a person or thing.
• There have been many who have exhibited the character of confidence. It is however very possible to be overly confident in one’s own abilities. It is possible to place too much trust in someone or something.
But it is never wrong to put our confidence in Almighty God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Psalms 118:8,9 KJV; Proverbs 3:26; Proverbs 14:26; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 3:3)
The concept of confidence is first seen in our passage in Hebrews 10:19 where the writer says, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
The word “boldness” in this verse is a word that means assurance or confidence.
The same Greek word is used again at the end of our passage.
In Hebrews 10:35, the Bible says, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”
Living right with God and loving Him with all our heart places us on the path to living confidently.
It is both achievable and the ultimate for us as Christians and children of God.
How do we love and encourage people with special needs. How do we love and encourage their care givers?
This panel discussion is to increase our understanding of and love for people with special needs and require special care like the differently enabled, physically challenged and partly incapacitated people (young or old or the very elderly) and their care givers.
The bible is unequivocal in its affirmation of God’s ability to magnify and multiply small things.
He made Abraham into a great nation; He fed thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Peter caught a multitude of fish that got him, and onlookers amazed. All of these are clear indications that God is not only able, He is also willing to multiply us.
We can draw encouragement from the testimonies of God’s people and the biblical testimonies of divine multiplications.
However, one of the keys to divine multiplication is Relationship. (Culled from 2023 loyalty month manual)
Biblical obedience is yielding or submitting to the authority or instructions of God as contained in His Words. Every covenant of God is hinged on obedience.
When God created Adam, He blessed and authorised him to subdue and dominate the earth and all its contents.
The scripture says, God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28 NIV) Adam was permitted to eat from any of the fruit in the Garden except the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
God’s covenant of divine multiplications is conditional on our willingness to obey His Words, the Holy Spirit, and messages from His servants.
The Bible is replete with testimonies of divine multiplications as we can see from the text we just read. We are encouraged by what God did in the lives of Abraham and Peter. In the past two Sundays we have dealt with keys of divine multiplications viz-a-viz key of discernment which empowers for divine multiplications, and the key of sacrifice that enriches divine multiplications.
As we celebrate Father's Day today, let us be mindful of the fact that the impact and effect of a healthy relationship is what provokes divine intervention that ultimately results in divine multiplications.
Divine Multiplications have many implications. It may imply fruitfulness, enlargement, expansion, greater success, bumper harvest, etc. It covers all areas of life. The creation story shows us that mankind is to be fruitful and multiply.
It is a command from God; “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Our declared theme this year, “Divine Multiplications” is loaded with many promises from God.
God faithfully fulfilled His promises to the fathers of faith who lived obedient and sacrificial lives. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other faith fathers offered their lives as sacrifices to God, and God, in turn, decided to honour them.
This year, we must be ready to offer our lives and resources as sacrifices to God more than ever before. As we do this, “Divine Multiplications” shall be our reward.
Just as we have learned from God’s dealings with Abraham, and Peter’s encounter with Jesus in Genesis 13 and Luke 5:1-4 respectively, we too should develop the habit of spending quality time with God, seeking His face and waiting patiently to hear His voice, so that we can experience divine multiplications.
Two different and opposite stories but same message. The Jeremiah 35 passage is a story about people who were faithful and Malachi 2:10-16 is a story of people who were unfaithful. However, the two stories have one message, namely, Be Faithful. This morning, we will consider the message or topic, be faithful, using the second story. We will do this under two main subheadings: Feel the Pain and Fulfill the Purpose.
Ask God to speak to you personally and to help you feel the pain you are causing to people in your relationships by your misbehaviours in attitudes, words, and actions. Ask God to help you know what specifically you can begin to do today, tomorrow, this week, month, year and beyond to fulfill His purpose for putting you in your family: confess, repent, make up with a family member, start a family altar, etc.? Will you take the step today? God is waiting for you.
Jesus was loyal to His call, His people, and His mission of saving humanity. Even when He called out to God in His suffering, He never wavered in His loyalty to you and me. He was obedient to the point of death and left a legacy of undying love and faithfulness. (John 6:38; Philippians 2:8) May the Lord grant us all grace to leave a legacy of Faithfulness. Amen.
The greatest joy in any parent’s life, especially mothers, is not only in pointing their children to Christ, but also seeing them going on with the Lord and doing well in every area of their lives. Because by this only can God be glorified and of course, the faith is passed on from generation to generation.
My prayer for every mother in the house today is that you will enjoy the fruits of your labour over all your children in Jesus’ name.
1.Are the traditional male and female roles in the family variable?
2.Where is the place of love, respect and fairness in the male and female roles
3.What does the Bible really say about male and female roles?
4.How do we blend nature, nurture, culture and individual circumstances in rocking the roles in the family?
5.How can we rock the roles in the family today in way that is balanced, beautiful and true to the Bible?
Building a faithful and dependable family out of our brokenness.
Broken by accident – God mends.
Broken by choices made – God mends.
Broken by sickness – God will mend.
Broken by family circumstances – God mends.
“The blood shall be a sign for you on [the doorposts of] the houses where you live; when I see the blood, I shall pass over you, and no affliction shall happen to you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13 AMP) • Passover commemorates the Biblical story of Exodus - where God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
• The blood of the lamb shed, and its presence on the doorsteps of the Israelites as a witness, brought deliverance, liberty, and hope. • Yet, the Passover and Exodus were but just foreshadows of a future deliverance and redemption for all those who believe in God through Jesus Christ.
• The Lamb of Passover was a type of Christ, the slaughter slabs a shadow of the cross. The doorpost foreshadowed our hearts sprinkled with the blood, and the Exodus a shadow of our cross-over (our redemption through the cross of Christ).
Integrity as a concept is not lost, it continues to remain a pivotal and cardinal Christian concept based purely on the word of God and His expectations of us. However, there is a diminishing emphasis on Integrity today and very little outward expression of the inner integrity by Christians.
“You know my heart, and even during the night you have tested me and found me innocent. I have made up my mind never totell a lie.
I don’t do like others. I obey your teachings and am not cruel.”
As they say, reputation is what you do when everyone is watching; Characteris what you do when no one is watching.
David was satisfied that he had unassailable character as he stood before the Lord.
He knew God was constantly testing his heart and he was passing the test.
Are you?
God intends for the Cross of Christ to not only save us, and bridge the gap between us and Himself, but also to be an example of what love costs in any kind of relationship, whether divine, between God and people, or between humans. Genuine love is very expensive and can cost everything, just as it did Christ. Let us re-orient ourselves with this mindset that led Jesus to the Cross, towards God and our fellows. Thank you.
Apart from Christ, nobody suffered and contended with conflicts and oppositions as much as Paul in the process of pursuing his calling as the apostle to the gentiles and yet he triumphed over them all and finished well. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
Let us examine a couple of passages that reveal his heart. (Acts 20:22-24; Romans 8:33-39)
Consider also how the tribulation saints triumphed over conflicts. (Revelations 12:11)
We too must have the same mind if we want to triumph and finish well.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NKJV)
Left alone, the world can only offer tears, sweat, and blood (tribulation).
But the Lord Jesus Christ has graciously overcome the world for us.
We only need to focus on Him completely to be the inheritors of His victory.
In Romans 1:16, Paul says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and this is true, but the power of the gospel is the Cross of Jesus Christ. On the Cross Jesus bore our pain (afflictions, sickness, and disease), made peace for us with God (salvation), and gave us power to live a victorious life. Jesus completed His Ultimate Triumph! It was achieved on the Cross!
Happy Easter!
As I reflect over the events of Easter, my mind is drawn to the impact of the triumph of the cross (Easter) on our lives.
It amazes me to observe that we can spend so much time talking about Christ, the great sacrificial work of redemption He accomplished at Calvary without genuinely allowing Christ and His work of Redemption - go through us. No resurrection in us! No newness! Status quo ante!
For those in this class the reality of the triumph of the Cross will remain a mirage.
All of this, my friends, leads us in anticipation of the Second Coming of the Son.
No matter how dark, no matter how dreary, no matter how depressing or frightening, no matter how lasting and disappointing these times may be, this sin filled world will NOT last! Jesus will return!
And, this time, it will be the last time as His light will be eternal and without interruption.
And, on that day, even the most lily-white and rigid among us will not be able to help but to jump up and shout as loud as we can:
“Glory, Hallelujah!”
A Covenant is essentially an agreement or a promise between two or more persons. It is a binding agreement to fulfill the obligations under the covenant. It is agreements or promises, binding obligations. God’s gift and callings are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 “for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
God made a covenant of peace. Peace is Shalom: the positive presence of Harmony, Wholeness, Soundness, Well-being, and Success in all areas of life.
If the Lord made a covenant of peace which is applicable to all believers, why then do we still have fear, insecurity, worries, anxieties and trauma? Why do we often lose our peace?
Turn it over to Jesus. He knows the very hairs on your head and numbered them; none of them can fall without His knowing. He cares for the sparrow, how much more you.
Depend on Him, lean on Him, and the worries and anxieties will disappear. Your peace will be restored in Jesus’ mighty name.
A covenant is a binding agreement; therefore, the Covenant of Peace is like a contract which describes the terms and conditions of God's "peace plan" for mankind.
Peace (shalom) is the positive presence of Harmony, Wholeness, Soundness, Well-being, and Success in all areas of life. In the King James translation of Scripture, the phrase "covenant of peace" occurs only four times: Numbers 25:12-13; Isaiah 54:9-10; Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 37:26.
It is God’s desire that his children live in peace; He established the covenant of peace to assure the children of Israel of His peace despite the danger around and within them, and with us today through His son to establish His peace in our hearts.
Jesus Himself is our peace; in Him, we have “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” to guard our hearts and minds.
Peacemaking involves forgiveness, mercy, empathy, and a willingness to work towards reconciliation.
The result of peacemaking was the restoration of broken relationships and the promotion of harmony and unity.
As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
By promoting peace and working towards reconciliation, we can reflect the love and compassion of Christ to the world around us.
To understand the magnitude of this promise better, we need to know the background. The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet Isaiah and relates both to events that were current then during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1) and events that were yet to occur even up to the new heaven and the new earth.
During Isaiah’s times, Judah and Jerusalem had backslidden and began to worship foreign Gods (Isaiah 1:3). The divided kingdom of Israel went far away from the Lord and served pagan gods and idols.
This brought the wrath of God on the Israelites. Isaiah prophetically foretells the doom of the divided kingdom of Israel.
Shortly before our Lord Jesus departed this world, He promised His followers His peace and the assurance that the presence of His peace meant our hearts should not be troubled.
Many desire that peace today but it eludes them.
Believers must treasure this gift and enjoy it to its maximum.
little closer and all the water would evaporate, as in Venus. Only a bit further and everything would freeze, as in Mars. The Earth is also just the right size to generate the perfect amount of gravity needed. A little less would make everything weightlessly sterile, like in our moon, while more would trap poisonous gases that suffocate life as on Jupiter. These intricate physical, chemical, and biological interactions that comprise our world bear the imprint of a sophisticated designer. This designer could only be a very powerful God. We catch a glimpse of the Almightiness of God when God answered Job (Job 38:1 – Job 41:1-34). This brings us to our topic for today, “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled.”
•Our emotional wellbeing
•Our overall mental functioning
•Our emotions
•The emotional signals
•The emotional trigger
•The cry for help
The LORD of Hosts is with us…. This emphasis must be taken seriously and believed. One of the Hebrew names of GOD Almighty is Jehovah Saboath, which means the Commander of the armies of heaven (the angelic hordes of heaven) and all of humanity.
The LORD of hosts is God’s battle name. God is a fighter. Who is this King of Glory, for the generation of those that seek His face? (Psalm 24:6-10) He is our bulwark. He is our strong tower. He is our Rock, God Almighty in control.
Psalm 46 encourages us to always hope and trust in God. To give Him glory for what He has done.
▪ Are we oppressed by troubles? God lifts us up and takes away our burdens.
▪ We will not fear because He is all sufficient. If God be for us who can be against us?
▪ God is protecting the church, making glad the saints. God is in the midst of the Church.
▪ For His glory, all will be still and know that He is God. He will be exalted among the heathen also.
▪ These may be depressing times but let’s not be dejected…..He will be exalted. The Lord of Hosts is with us.
We do not need to wait for catastrophic events to stand still. We should take time each day to stand still and give Him honour.
God has told us that He has plans to prosper and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He took control of our salvation by sending Jesus, who has called us to Himself. (Ephesians 4:1). God can defeat our enemies with sound (Joshua and the walls of Jericho in Joshua 6:15-16), light (Gideon against the Midianites in Judges 7:8-20), and water (Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea in Exodus).
God controls Satan as well.
Yet, even when we know these things, we sometimes want to take control and try to make our lives easier. Paul wrote that “the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Romans 8:7)
Hostility and fear make peace and joy impossible. As he faced many enemies, aware that his life could end at the tip of a sword at any time, David refused to let fear steal his joy: “I will sing and make music to the Lord.” Psalm 27:6 (27:1-6).
John 10:28b (10:24-28)
God Almighty- “God is the creator and controller of the universe and all that is in it, whether animate or inanimate. Any use or disposition He chooses to make of any part of His creation is His sovereign right. God is accountable only to Himself. He reports to nobody.
He is not required at any time to give to any person any explanation for anything He says or does. He is the superpower above all powers in every area of His creation.” (Lehman Strauss) Although God is almighty, He uses His might to protect and help His children.
All His plans show His great love for His creation and especially His children.
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:11-12
The Power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God.
God desires to be near His people with help and comfort.
God’s Ready Availability - He is “an ever-present help in trouble.”
God is available to His people and wants us to call on him for help in any time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side; thus, we need not fear.
Divine multiplication is a mandate from God (Genesis 1:28), which He has backed with His covenant (Genesis 17:2), and we have come into this same covenant through Christ (Galatians 3:14).
If we believe and obey these principles, we will have reasons to rejoice and testify of His faithfulness by the end of this year.
You cannot even begin to claim divine multiplications if you are not in a covenant relationship with God.
It is possible to multiply in certain areas without God’s direct assistance. Atheists are doing it; the devil gives increase too, remember he promised Jesus the kingdoms of this world if He would bow down and worship him?
God is not interested in multiplying fake or flaky people, He wants to multiply His Kingdom and righteousness not flesh, sin and instability. For us to experience divine multiplication, we have to be real; we have to be genuine, we have to be authentic. If you would sincerely come to Him today like Jabez did, He will hear and answer you, change you and multiply you like He did Israel and does for many today.
It is our time to be authentic and be divinely multiplied.
➢ WHAT IS DIVINE MULTIPLICATION?
➢ DIMENSIONS OF DIVINE MULTIPLICATION
➢ PATH TO DIVINE MULTIPLICATION
➢ SOWING FOR DIVINE MULTIPLICATIONS
I. WHAT IS DIVINE MULTIPLICATION?
A. Divine Multiplication
▪ To multiply is to increase something greatly in number or quantity.
▪ Multiplication is typically in folds –
▪ Multiplication in material terms will connote having more than your need – overflow to accomplish everything God requires of you.
B. God’s first command to us is to multiply – Genesis 1:28
“Then God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase (multiply) in number; fill the earth and subdue it (govern it). ….” NIV
Divine multiplication has been around since creation – beginning of time.
C. Multiplication is central to God’s Agenda
D. Classical Example of Multiplication: - Acts 2:41 – from 120 to 3,000.
It is important that we remind ourselves that HOPELESSNESS is not from God and not His plan for us in anyway. It is one of the weapons the devil uses to distract and deny us of God’s blessings.
A major theme of the Bible is God coming to live among His people: “I will live among them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 32:38)
God wants to be intimately involved with us. He created mankind for relationship. Our sin separated us from Him; Sin hinders man’s experience of God’s presence, and He wants to bring His presence back to man.
Through a select group of people, the Jews, He revealed Himself as I Am—a present and knowable God—intimacy with His people.
But the Jews misunderstood Him. To them, God with us, meant three things: that God was pleased with them (Exodus 33:16), He would give direction and provisions (Exodus 40:36-38). They knew the acts of God, not the ways of God. This continued throughout the Old Testament.
But God wants to be more with mankind; He wants an intimate relationship.
The word hope has been copiously defined for us in previous messages and Bible Study, but as a brief reminder, hope is a positive expectation about the future, the expectation that our desire will be fulfilled.
For the natural or carnal man, hope is based on forecasts or calculated risks based on environmental issues, financials, our emotional state, politics, or human promise. This kind of hope is uncertain, and can prove disappointing, frustrating, or even destructive. (1 Timothy 6:17; Psalm 33:17)
“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27 NKJV)
Christ is the hope of mankind. Without Him humanity is lost. The hope of eternal life is only found in Christ.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NKJV)
God sends goodness and mercy to follow us.
Paul declares in Romans 8:28:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
NO FEAR FOR THE FUTURE because nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
SURELY, goodness and mercy will pursue us.
SURELY, because God has never failed us in the past.
SURELY, because He does not begin a work He does not complete.
SURELY, because God never forsakes us.
Discouragement is a natural response to the challenges of life. If discouragement is allowed to linger (dictated by our attitude - Philippians 2:5-6), it can lead to other complications in life such as temptations, doubts, and fears, among others, that ultimately lead us away from God. We must also be aware that there is an enemy, Satan, always seeking to discourage us and create obstacles for us to cause us to dwell outside of Christ. In 1 Peter 5:8, Paul describes him as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. In Ephesians 2:2, Satan is described as prince of the power of the air. He shoots fiery darts at us (Ephesians 6:16). Since we all have weaknesses, we must be aware of the devices he uses to get us down.
Our church family, Foursquare Gospel Church, VGC, is a microcosm (i.e., a small version) of the family of God.
As His family, God’s purpose is for us to be a community that encourages one another to live as God’s people in this world, loving God and loving people, despite the pain of living in this world.
God wants every member to be encouraged and become an encourager, making the church a Family of Encouragers.
In this very personal letter, Paul opened his heart to the Corinthians and to us and revealed the trials he had experienced.
To begin with, he had been severely criticized by some of the people in Corinth because he had changed his plans and apparently not kept his promise.
Then there was the problem of opposition to his apostolic authority in the church.
One of the members – possibly a leader – had to be disciplined, and this gave Paul great sorrow. Finally, there were difficult circumstances Paul had to endure in Asia – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.
It is not common to see people talking to themselves. Others tend to view this behaviour as a sign of losing touch with reality or a form of derailment.
Perhaps we need a re-think on the value of the act of talking to oneself.
In Psalm 42, we see the Psalmist talking to himself about his depressed soul before even talking to God about it.
When you are depressed, remember to take advantage of the spiritual antidepressants in Psalm 42.
Question your soul, testify about God’s goodness, admonish yourself to hope in the Lord. Minister to yourself, as David did, by personally applying the very encouragement you have given others.
Discouragement is no respecter of persons.
In fact, discouragement seems to attack the successful far more than the unsuccessful, for the higher we climb, the farther down we can fall.
We are not surprised then when we read that the great Apostle Paul was “pressed out of pressure” and “despaired even of life” (2 Cor. 1:8).
Great as he was in character and ministry, Paul was human just like the rest of us.
Apostle Paul as he wrote second Corinthians repeatedly used the word comfort or encouragement.
What was Paul’s secret of victory when he was experiencing pressures and trials?
His secret was God.
When you find yourself discouraged and ready to quit, get your attention off yourself and focus it on God. Out of his own difficult experience, Paul tells us how we can find encouragement in God. He gives us three simple reminders:
Remember what God is to you – 2 COR. 1:3
Remember what God does for you – 2 COR. 1 :4a, 8-11
Remember what God does through you – 2 COR. 1:4b-7
The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is meant in our context, is not with physical boundaries as seen in earthly kingdoms. It is the body of spiritually active people who have surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, have confessed Him as their Lord and Saviour, and are committed to living their lives after the teachings of the word of God as seen in the Bible. This kingdom also includes those who lived and died in Christ and have gone to be with Him in heaven.
The Lord Jesus summarized the kingdom expansion work in the scripture as He was about to ascend to heaven.
“Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)
Every effort we make, spiritually and physically, to obediently carry out this instruction of the Lord is part of the kingdom expansion programme. Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China, popularized this last command of the Lord Jesus to His followers by describing it as the Great Commission.
The essence of our Lord Jesus Christ coming to the world is to lay for us all that is needed to bring the sinner (humanity) back to God, provide the basis for the cleansing of our sins, and guarantee the redemption of our souls by all that He went through for us on the Cross of Calvary. His resurrection provides for us an eternal renewal throughout the ages for all those who will put their trust and faith in Him, giving us the sure hope of victory over all the works of the devil. It also establishes our eternal union with Him in heaven and our joint administration with Him over the universe for all the eternal ages to come.
What a great Prospect for all the descendants of Adam who would have been consigned to eternal misery if God in Christ Jesus had not intervened in our plight. (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23)
We often hear the expression “Action Speaks Louder than Words/Voice.” This is an idiom that tells us that our actions carry more weight than our words. In other words, our attitude is what tells what we believe and who we really are.
If you are within my view in a field, and you tell me you are coming to me, I ought to see you walking towards me, not walking in the opposite direction. But with humans, we do the opposite a lot.
You see a woman beating a child and shouting at the top of her voice ‘Shut up, don’t even make a sound!’ You hear people say, ‘I love you and mean well for you,’ yet they take away your privileges, your goods, your joy, etc.
The mouth is saying one thing, but the attitude is saying another.
When you have been with someone continually, one mark of that continual stay will be knowledge of that person.
The path to knowing God is knowing His ways.
To be continually with God means remaining in a close relationship with Him. One imagery that the Bible uses to describe this relationship is the one between the sheep and the shepherd.
We are sheep and members of His flock. Our Lord Jesus is the Shepherd.
To be with God connotes being in His presence. The presence of God makes all the difference in our lives in every ramification. The presence of God comes with His glory, protection, provision, blessings, healings, and of course, salvation. These are the protocols that go with the presence of God.
Today we shall attempt to discuss what it entails to attract God’s presence, staying in His presence, and the consequence of rejecting His presence.
The times are becoming challenging around the world and Nigeria in particular. The situation is inflicting pain and frustrations on many of our people and believers are not insulated. It is against this background that we are reminded to hold on fast to our faith and remain ‘continually with God.”
The Psalmist fully aware of his own lost condition and of the deceitfulness and vileness of his own nature, in glorious outburst of faith could still sing:
“Nevertheless I am continually with You.”
As believers, our confession and acknowledgement, like the Psalmist’s, will be:
‘Nevertheless, since I belong to Christ, I am continually with God!’
What is the meaning of blessed? Christians use the words blessed and blessing more and rightfully so. Blessed is a Christian word. It is a spiritual word. It is a biblical word. It has been hijacked by our culture; many people use the word every day.
People may talk about "blessings" in their lives, but the nonbeliever has no idea what a real blessing is, because only the child of God truly knows what it is to be blessed. So, what does it mean to be blessed? The word blessed as used by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount comes from the Greek word Makarios, which means to be happy, a self-contained happiness.
All earthly blessings are pale when compared with being conformed with the image of Christ, because in Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead. (Colossians 2:9)
Often, we are distracted with the pursuit of physical blessings not realizing that spiritual blessings command physical blessings. Jesus counsels us to “… seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33). To be blessed, we must first come into relationship with the God of Great Deeds who alone can bless. He blessed Abraham and is willing to bless anyone who comes to Him through His son Jesus. COME AND BE BLESSED
Without denying the reality of suffering, joy should characterize the life of the people of “My God of Great Deeds.” It is the gift of God to us; the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us. Our joy makes the gospel attractive to the watching world.
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126:2) Communication experts tell us that:
• Every day the average person speaks enough to fill twenty single-spaced, typewritten pages.
• This means that every month, the average person reels out enough words to fill two books of three hundred pages.
• Every year, the average person reels out enough words to fill twenty-four books. Question: These findings got me thinking – If the books of all that I say are published: • What story will they tell? • Will I be proud of the content?
• What will be my reaction as the books are read out to everyone? So, the kinds of words we use are important.
The Psalmist in acknowledgement of God’s great deeds as expressed in verses 1 & 2 of Psalm 126 responded in verse 3 as follows: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3 The psalmist’s mouth was filled with praise when he wrote Psalm 126.
The Lord had done great things for him and his people. Even the nations around them noticed. Remembering God’s blessings, he said, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy” v. 2 If you were to write verse 3 of Psalm 126, what would it look like?
The Winning Father: Pst Tunde Ojo ( Father's Day Service Foursquare Gospel Church VGC )
Walking refers to the act of moving by setting each foot forward in an alternate pattern. To be responsible refers to the quality of being answerable for our actions and their consequences.
It also refers to the capability to acknowledge and respond reasonably when our conducts and obligations come under scrutiny.
Joshua and Caleb demonstrated responsible conduct in the assignment given to them by Moses to spy the Promised Land (Numbers 14:17-33). However, ten out of the twelve spies came back with evil and discouraging reports which precipitated a rebellion against Moses and Aaron
Many people today are trying to have a prosperous life, enjoy their marriages and raise brilliant children but have no idea how to achieve this. While depending on their wisdom, culture, customs, and counsel of friends, they make a mess of their marriages and other relationships.
Sometimes, they wreck their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. We all need the wisdom of God to have a blessed family.
The prevalence of violent and aggressive behaviour in homes has turned the popular maxim “there is nothing like home” into wishful thinking for many people; many homes are not shelters from storms but stormy houses.
How do we respond biblically to domestic violence as followers of Jesus? Where is the help, healing and hope for domestic violence victims and aggressors?
God designed the family for great purposes. We have been created, endowed, and empowered by God to achieve these purposes. The family can only fulfill God’s purpose when every member of the family aligns with God’s design and principles. (Genesis 1:26- 30; Psalm 127:3; Malachi 2:15)
Every human being belongs to a family; living within our various families as God intended will bring joy, harmony and blessings to us, our families, the church, and our nation. The great Israelite leader, Joshua, exhorted the Israelites to follow and serve the Lord, their Maker and Redeemer, as he declared to them his own conscious decision to serve God with his family irrespective of what the Israelites chose to do.
(Joshua 24:15) We must be determined to play our role according to God’s word, every time, in every place and at any phase of life irrespective of what others do. When every member of the family walks in love and obedience, the family is blessed by God.
Apostle Paul was writing about love, humility and serving one another. But a genuine or real encounter with Christ is the starting point of the life of service because it will change our status from sinners to children of God and joint heirs with Jesus with all the blessings.
Your security and significance, your unimaginable self-worth is rooted in this encounter with Christ.
An ongoing daily encounter with Christ is necessary; we learn to converse with God in prayer and in His word and relate with one another in fellowship. The Holy Spirit begins to transform us from inside out as we follow Christ and experience His love. It begins to affect how we relate to each other.
Apostle Paul’s four questions in verse 1 show what God expects of those who have encountered Christ. What are your answers to them? Are you walking in love and unity, humbly serving one another in your home church, your spouse, children, parent, etc.?
Are you desiring a change in your life, spouse, children, the family, etc.? Encounter Christ personally, definitely and progressively; pray that they may encounter Christ, etc.
The family is important in demonstrating the Lord’s intent to use the family as a model of His expression of love to the world.
The family is composed of people who have feelings and emotions and because we have feelings and emotions, we can be hurt.
This hurt can impact behavior and our beliefs about God, family, and real love.
Boys and girls learn their identity early and usually from their fathers. It is natural to seek love and attention from our fathers.
When our natural fathers withhold their love from us or mistreat us, deep wounds form that only the love of the Father can heal.
People who suffer from this type of neglect can go through life jeopardizing their own emotional and spiritual health and forming unhealthy bonds with others due to having “Daddy Issues” beginning in early childhood.
The objective of this presentation is to help us refresh our appreciation of time as a key inelastic resource given to us by God as individuals and our responsibility to efficiently manage it and maximize its use.
“We live in a fast-paced, demanding world, and time is a difficult thing to give. It is a leader’s most valuable commodity.”
For Christian believers, love is the truest test of genuine faith.
Agape love is only made possible by the Holy Spirit. That is the love which the Holy Spirit manifests in believers.
This love is not a compensation, reward or reciprocity for a good thing or deed.
Not I love him because he provides for me.
Not I love her because she is very respectful and makes good meals.
Not I love my daughter because she is an A student, etc.
If you check the dictionary, it will tell you love is intense feeling, great interest, deep affection. Agape is not a feeling, but a deliberate choice.
It is the choice to be kind, to sacrifice, to consider the needs of others as greater than one’s own (Philippians 2:3).
It is a choice to love like Jesus does.
One of the first lessons at the early stage of tennis training is called “Eyes on the Ball.” A similar idea is evoked when trying to construct a long ridge that must be straight.
You must fix your gaze pointedly on the target that connects you to your starting point. To live like a particular person is to emulate or behave like that person.
To do this successfully, we need to work and walk very closely with Him. Where the person is not physically available, even by any physical or electronic medium, the next best alternative is to understudy the person through the documented records of his life, teachings, behaviours, and writings/speeches.
Thus, in trying to get ourselves to live like Jesus, we must focus firmly on Him. To do this, we need to take a look at His lifestyle, teachings, and exemplary actions/behaviours. Therefore, today, using the above scriptures, we shall briefly look at what Jesus taught about Love, Service, and Sacrifice.
Living like Jesus is the only way we will not be afraid on the day of judgement but be able to face Him with confidence because we lived like Jesus here on earth. Therefore, let us Step into His footsteps; Trust in Him; Be empowered by His word; and Pray without ceasing as He did.
In the late 70s it was a fad among Christians to use the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” or the acronym “WWJD”; today we hardly hear anyone say that. Is living like Jesus old fashioned, impossible or outright boring in the 21st century? Scott Stein, the author of “How to Live Like Jesus,” explained living like Jesus as “approving of what God approves of; wanting what God wants; calling good what God calls good, acceptable what he calls acceptable, and perfect what he calls perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Living like Jesus is relevant in all generations because that is the very reason for which Christ came: to show us the way to the Father and how to walk with Him in love and obedience. (John 14:6; Philippians 2:8) When we live like Jesus, we will have confidence when we stand before God on the day of judgment because we will be perfect in His love.
The Lord has been gracious to us. We are grateful for how He has touched our lives in diverse ways in the past months and brought us into April 2022. Our theme for the month of April 2022 is – “LIVING LIKE JESUS” (1 John 4:17; Romans 8:11).
This theme by the grace of God will help us to consolidate on the Lord’s work of revival in our lives and connect to the essence of the sacrificial love that Christ’s death and resurrection represent. I pray the Lord will help us and grant us grace as we cultivate living every moment like Jesus.
I pray we all catch the depths of the revelation of ‘living like Jesus’ at all times, in all things, under all circumstances for the surpassing glory of being with JESUS
Reflecting on your personal journey in the last two months, have you had personal encounters with Christ (experienced revival in your prayer, bible study and witnessing life)? What has changed? Will you go back after this month fishing like Peter did after Christ left? Jesus is looking for you today to transfer into reality (everyday life) your encounter in the last two months (REVIVAL). He is asking you the same question He asked Peter: “DO YOU LOVE ME?”
Ministration at the Installation Ceremony of Acting Zonal Superitendent Jesutedo :Rev Peter Ameadaji
Spiritual practices or disciplines are means to an end, but not the end; they are the pathway to the goal. Prayer, fasting, worship, tithing, offerings, sacrifices, etc. are useless if we are not committed to the pursuit of righteousness, mercy, love, and justice.
(See examples in Isaiah 58:1-12; Malachi 2:13-16; Matthew 23:23; Mark 7:1-13)
We can easily turn the spiritual practices/disciplines into legalistic empty religion if we:
• Forget that they are a means to an end, not the end.
• Observe them without required humble and repentant hearts.
• Observe them to achieve our own ends rather than God’s purpose.
The Pharisees were experts in observing religious practices and disciplines, but they were not on God’s agenda. The Pharisees’ testing question and Jesus’ answer.
Every Christian can find himself/herself in one or more of these ministries. Today we shall look at these ministries, consider their purpose and significance to the church and society, and shed a light on how we can begin to get back into our own ministries (revived to edify the church and the society).
Keying into the five-fold ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ will help the Christian immensely in personal revival. Let us strive to be at our duty post when the Lord appears.
Revival comes when there is repentance, discontent, genuine hunger for more of God and the coming of the Lord. We shall discuss this topic under Spiritual Rejuvenation - getting young again like the eagle; State of Harmony or Tranquillity with God and within; and lastly, bearing much fruit - not just one dimension of fruitfulness but All-Round Fruitfulness.
Bring your life into accord with the sermon on the Mount and such other New Testament Scriptures as are designed to instruct us in the way of righteousness. Matthew Chapters 5 to 7- a revelation of God’s principles of righteousness.
A. Revival is not a week’s worth of meetings. ii. Revival is not started in one day. iii. Revival is not controlled by man. iv. Revival is a heart thing. v. Revival is always brought on by REPENTANCE. vi. Revival is renewed zeal to obey God
B. The word means to live and to have life; to remain alive and to sustain life; to be quickened from sickness, discouragement, faintness, or death; to be restored to life or health; to cause to grow.
C. Revival is the giving of a new breath of life to that which is either waning or has ceased to breathe. Revival is a visitation of God which brings renewed life to Christians who have been sleeping; restoring them, producing a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness, real joy, purpose, and a reenergized zeal.
Our goal as Christians is to spend eternity in His presence. We need a constant reminder of this goal, so we do not make our short-term earthly goal to be our destination. The journey is hard, revival helps us to navigate, endure, and continue on the journey despite the difficulties. May the Lord grant you the grace to continue till the end in Jesus’ name.
Where there is sin and elements of unrighteousness, then God wants repentance and to establish righteousness. The LORD wants to revive each of us and establish the reign of righteousness. THEN He can tabernacle with us
It is important to remember that the purpose of miracles is basically to glorify God and to do good to man. Therefore, as we seek the face of God for miracles, the objective must be in consonance with the purpose of miracles. It must not be for vainglory or for just the satisfaction of our mundanities.
Miracles are not necessarily spectacular. Remember that Satan also appears as an angel of light, hence, believers should be on the lookout for liars and deceivers who claim to be workers of miracles but are agents of darkness.
In this message, we shall examine the facts about Miracles, the purpose of Miracles, and how to experience the supernatural in our daily life.
There are natural miracles such as, the complex and intricate workings of the systems in our body; sleep and waking up, how the body heals itself when a bone breaks; rainfall and vegetation; etc. And there are supernatural miracles – direct, out-of-the-norm action and interventions of God. Miracles are usually instant but they can also be progressive. Examples are as mentioned in the Bible “that very hour”: blind eyes opening, the deaf hearing, dumb speaking, lame walking. For progressive: conception and birth; recovery from damage caused by severe accidents; change in financial situations, family dynamics, etc.
We thank God for the thematic focus of this year – “Supernatural Miracles.” We thank God for the expectation this will create but more importantly the devotion to God it should build in us and draw us closer to God as we experience Him more and more in our daily lives both as individual believers and corporately as a church.
Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whose birthday we are commemorating this month demonstrated “Perfect Love.” The Agape love of God is poured upon all humanity before we even knew of our need for help. Romans 5:8 says while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He has commanded us to also love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). The essence of our theme “Perfect Love,” is to remind us of God’s love for us. The essence of this study is to show us the amazing wonders of His love and elicit a positive response from us in loving him in return, and living a life of total obedience in line with His perfect will
We need to constantly remind ourselves of the dimensions of the Father’s Love, the Demonstration of His Love for us in our daily living, God’s desire to show His Love to the world through us and how we can live in love among ourselves as brothers and Sisters. It is meant to be experienced and expressed daily.
The subject of love is an important theme in this letter of John. Note that in the one hundred and five verses of this epistle, the word love is used fifty-nine times. John had already given some strong instruction about love in the second and third chapters. And nowhere in the fourth chapter, he returns to that theme. When you look at these verses a little closer you notice a new term John has added to the mix. Four times in these verses he uses the word perfect to describe the love he talks about so much. John uses three different forms of the word translated perfect, perfected, and perfection. But all three come from the same root word which means “to bring to an end or completion or full development.” In other words, “complete or mature.” Some things about Agape love: Agape love is the foundation for all legitimate love - I Corinthians 13. Agape love is the core of all of God's relationships with us. There is one commandment that is repeated three times in these verses; it is the exhortation to “love one another.” (vs. 7, 11, 12)
Romans 5:8 1 John 4:9-10 Love is the sure and ideal way to advance in God, and life.
Love is of God and overcomes the world and everything it offers.
Love always wins: 1 Corinthians 13:8a,13
As we approach the Christmas season, we are again reminded of the ultimate expression of God‟s love for us as individuals and for humanity. That ultimate expression of God‟s love is Christ, who took on humanity and offered himself up for the sins of the world.
Dictionary definition - Strong feeling of deep affection for someone or something. Sometimes we need to be reminded that God loves us. We focus on the difficulties of life and wonder, “Where‟s the love?” But if we pause and consider all that God has done for us, we remember how much we are loved by God, who is love (1 John 4:8-10). In Scripture there are several Greek words for love, but the highest is „agape‟ – love that is defined and driven by self-sacrifice. Nowhere is this truer than in the love our heavenly Father has shown us in Christ. We are deeply valued by God. So what is Love? God is love, and He‟s pouring out that love on you and me.
You may not have the eloquence of TD Jakes, but a word of faith in your mouth can strengthen a believer. And as we all shine as light in our various corners, living the life of Christ and growing daily in our devotion to Christ, progress is being made. One step at a time, the Holy Spirit is building us up unto the full measure of the stature of Christ.
Remember, the turtle only makes progress when he sticks out his neck. Dare to advance in your personal walk with God, service to the church of Christ, and save souls from hell.
Are you a citizen of the kingdom of God? Are you living like a citizen of the kingdom? Are you advancing the kingdom of God through your worship, work, wrestling and witness?
One of the things we all love in life is to advance/move forward or progress in life. We want to advance in our careers Advance in our businesses Advance in our finances Advance in our relationships, etc. It is therefore curious when we see a man or woman who likes advancement in these areas, but does not show as much enthusiasm for spiritual advancement.
In some spiritual contexts, advance can be a continuum, for example, seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness in our WALK with God – knowledge of the Word, obedience, faith, prayers, etc.
“It is the process of sharing the good news of the love of God and His saving grace in Christ Jesus with people in such a way and language that they understand it sufficiently to make an intelligent decision. Their decision could be positive or negative, but they must have been sufficiently enlightened to appreciate the consequence of their decision freely made” -Sam KPUTU, CAPRO Missions
The world is witnessing a change in its social life beyond what has ever been contemplated by many people. COVID-19 has changed our world forever in spite of its devastating consequences. It has opened up a new vista of possibilities for believers to fulfil the divine mandate.
We need to strategize, retool and be intentional with these endless possibilities. We now have 24 hours to engage in a borderless world. We live in a connected world.
The message has not changed; the means and vehicle just got better and cheaper!
And when it comes to fishing for men, every Life vocation and experience is useful as it provides a platform for us to fulfill our divine mandate.
To be fruitful connotes generating useful or profitable outcomes. Fruitfulness, therefore, can be biological or inanimate.
We can reproduce or have a fruitful endeavor, but to be fruitful, there must be life. Only living things can be fruitful.
In other words, only the living can reproduce or create useful outcomes.
When God works without human participation, as He did in creation, He achieves perfection. Often, He chooses to use humans to achieve His purposes on earth and in the process bring man in close fellowship with Himself. Today, God calls us to participate in soul winning with Him.
There is trust and there is an Unwavering Trust. Almost all of us can and will proclaim trust in our hours of ease and safety. When what is at stake can be easily replaced or not be bothered with. But it is a different kettle of fish when our very means of livelihood is threatened, life is in danger, a loved one is sick, the challenge is huge and, maybe, personal. It is at this time that our trust is really tested.
To successfully navigate the maze of life, trust is an indispensable tool. If we can key into God’s provision for us to trust Him, most of the things that trouble us will fade away and we will be able to live a life of peace and fulfilment.
Trust is the most important feature of any relationship. It is like the pillars that hold a building. When trust is broken, the relationship is lost. Fear sets in, unbelief follows, and death deals a blow.
God has spoken to us in the last few weeks severally. He wants us to be separated unto Him, to have contact with the world without being contaminated, and He has chosen us from the multitude, not because we are better but because of His love. He is calling us now to have unwavering trust, an irrevocable, unshaken trust in Him. Will you?
The monthly theme is “Unwavering Trust” - trust that will never fail or fall short. It makes a BIG difference in whom we place such trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
To describe a feeling or attitude as unwavering, means that it is strong, firm and does not weaken. Raina Naim, a Christian columnist defines Unwavering Faith, as trusting “God with your life more than you trust yourself.” (Naim, R. Unwavering Faith. 2016)
God is about to do a new thing in our nation and in our lives as individuals. Unfortunately, your inability to build a firm and unwavering trust in God may limit what God wants to do in your life.
The call is Universal – The condition is whosoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. You are chosen when you say YES!! God’s door of redemption and prerogative of mercy is open to all and available to all. If anyone hears His voice, He will come in and take full residence. You can say “Yes” right now, and He will be in. It is amazing to discover the caliber of people who received His call, responded positively, and the eternal effect of the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. He chooses the weak things to demonstrate His sovereignty - He owes no one any explanation. He chose us for His own glory and exhibition. One of the greatest things about being human is that we are not infallible, and yet He chose us as His people, His friends, and partners!
The word “chosen” always produces a sense of belonging and confers a sense of worth and value to the beneficiary of the choice. The important and most significant aspect of the month’s theme assumes that God is the one who is making the choice this time; that He has chosen us – you and me – already in Christ: Ephesians 1:4-6. The vehicle through which the choice is made is His will: 1 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:5. We were chosen in Christ before now; chosen to be holy and without blame in love; chosen to be His sons and daughters. His choice of us expresses His grace. We are accepted before Him in Christ.
It is undeniable that God has chosen those who are believers in Jesus. But why? Is there something special about me that led God to choose me?
Surely we ought to carry ourselves, in everything we do, as people who are not part of the multitude but chosen out of the world, distinguished by sovereign grace, counted among “His own special people.” (1 Peter 2:9) – “who therefore cannot wallow in the dust or live like the world’s citizens.”
This discourse will focus on being set apart from the world and yet being an effective part of and influence in the world.
Our ability to see ahead gives the wisdom to live a separated life. (Romans 12:1; 1 John 2:15-17) Our theme text for this year’s Teens’ week is RESTORED from Joel 2:25-27. God has promised to empower our teenagers to see, imagine and plan the future with His divine wisdom. The spirit of God has prepared them for the future; we therefore have no reason to fear as they were born for a time such as this. (Esther 4:14)
Separation is the action or state of moving or being moved apart. Other words used to describe separation are; detachment, severance, uncoupling. The bible uses words like; come out, do not copy or conform, give up and unfriend the world. (Romans 12:1; 1 John 2:15-17)
God’s intent for separation is not isolation. Salt by itself is useless – it is of no benefit. But when it has savor and comes in contact with other things, it seasons, preserves, gives flavor, etc. Like a coin, there are two aspects to being separate: i. Separation from the ungodly world’s value systems: sanctification ii. Separation unto God: consecration
We are called to be separate from the Patterns, the Principles, the Preferences, and the People of the world.
- Being separate does not mean isolation or lack of interaction. 2. Being separate is a decision you make. It is not something that happens by chance. 3. Being separate will be costly, momentarily. 4. It takes courage to be separate. 5. It takes grace to be separate 6. It takes commitment to be separate
Paul, after his conversion, became one of our greatest examples in the Christian race. He separated/distinguished himself through CARE, CONNECTION and COMMITMENT in all things pertaining to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The concept of separation from evil is fundamental to God‟s relationship with His people. It is unfortunate that the important doctrine of separation has been misunderstood and abused. Notwithstanding, it remains an essential truth.
The world today is looking for Christians who like David have a heart that pants after God.
They are searching for the types of Moses who will obey the Lord hook, line and sinker; fisherman and net.
They are looking for men like Peter who will be ardent followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!
They are looking for men like Paul who under the mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost, swung from the extremes of carnality and Godlessness to become extreme exploit deliverers for the God whom they once persecuted.
The end times are here when all the temporary compensations we desire will soon have no meaning and all that will matter are the souls waiting to meet with us in heaven and the stars in our Crown.
PAUL SUMMARISED ALL HE DID FOR THE LORD BY A SIMPLE PHRASE “I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.”
In the midst of widespread poverty, pain, and perversion all around us, there is no better time to stand to be counted for Christ. God promised a mighty outpouring of His Spirit upon His people, not for the fun of it, but because it is required to achieve critical Kingdom assignment. Believers need to take advantage of this spiritual outpouring to align with God’s end-time agenda.
Wealth management and retirement planning: Mr Bayo Rotimi (CEO, Greenwich Merchant Bank)
God has made available to us all that we need to achieve great success in ministry. We must pay the price in order to get the prize. It takes the discipline of an athlete, the doggedness of a soldier, the hard work of a farmer, and total dependence on God for mighty outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit.
If we are to soar - rise quickly to a high level of performance and success in life and ministry (which is God’s desire and expectation) - we need the ingredients that will provoke, propel and catapult us to attain it. We need knowledge of divine wisdom in order to fulfill our expectation of soaring.
The message this morning is essentially a continuation of the message we shared on Wednesday at our Bible Study program although titled differently. The first segment was titled „Compelling Call to Empowered Service‟ and we discussed God‟s call on us as believers to serve Him. The Lord has created and redeemed us to serve Him. That we believers are called to be a blessing. We carry a mandate of blessing. That our lives can be likened to a river and should ordinarily be a source of blessings to others. That our acts of service can also be said to be the rivers of living water referred to in John 7:38.
God specializes in empowering men and women by beckoning on them (call). He equips them and shapes them as ready instruments to bring benefits into the lives of others. Those who yield to Him end up also being part of the chain of divine blessings. (Matthew 25:15-16)
“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT
The ultimate purpose of man, according to the Bible, is simply to glorify God.
However, do you glorify God? Psalm 100:2–3, tells us “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Part of what it looks like to glorify God is to acknowledge who God is (our Creator, for starters) and to praise and worship Him as such.
We fulfill our purpose of glorifying God also by living our lives in relationship and faithful service to Him. (1 Samuel 12:24; John 17:4)
To be single in our evangelical Christian society is to be different. For most of us, being single isn't what we planned. So we're left with hounding questions: What exactly is God doing with our lives? Why doesn't He give us what we want? Does He really love us? Why has He blessed most of our friends with the very thing we want? Why has He left us out?
This and many more questions were answered by Mrs. Buchi Utah. Kindly listen
A God-centred family is a home where Christ is present as Lord and holds all members together by his love and power. It is where Christ is present as the foundation of the home (1 Corinthians 3:11). A God-centred family is built on Christ’s values and focused on fulfilling God’s purpose. It is the will of God that all families on earth should derive their existence from God and live according to His will. “From whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” (Ephesians 3:15)
Joshua who succeeded Moses and successfully led the Israelites into the Promised Land decided to tell something important before his death. He told the Israelites that having experienced God‟s greatness and goodness, the most reasonable and desirable thing for them to do was to serve God. He warned that failure to serve God faithfully and wholeheartedly had grave consequences. In Joshua 24:15 (our theme verse) he urged them to choose to serve God, declaring that whatever their decision, “As for me (him) and my (his) household (family), we will serve the LORD.” How do you make God the centre of your life and the centre of your family life? I will share four points with you.
The account of the risen Saviour, Jesus, is not only a well-documented historical fact but has been experienced by believers of all ages throughout the world. Jesus bridged the gap between man and God, restored the lost fellowship occasioned by sin; completely erased our past errors and consequences of disobedience.
A good number of people saw Him alive, at different times, in different places, and in different circumstances over a 40-day period. A lot of people saw Jesus alive after His death. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Bible reports that Jesus appeared to hundreds of people during the 40 days after his resurrection. In John 20, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. In Luke 24, He appeared to two men walking to Emmaus. He also appeared to the 11 Disciples (who couldn't believe their eyes at first). That's why in Luke 24:39 Jesus said, "Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost……." A man, Sir Lionel Luckhoo, from Guyana surely believed this truth. He was one of the most successful defense attorneys of all time. What did Sir Lionel Luckhoo think about the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Jesus is alive! So, how should we respond to the Risen Savior?
The resurrection of Jesus is one of the central truths of the gospel – 1 Corinthians 15:1- 9 (3-4). The resurrection of our Lord Jesus defines the gospel and the basis for our beliefs and faith as Believers. This explains the importance of the events of Easter.
Talk on relationship, work-life balance, and having fun in ways that are edifying to the glory of God.
God is eternally immutable in His Essence, Immutable in His attributes, and Immutable in His
Counsel.
Therefore, at creation, He knew that man was going to abuse the freewill he was given. But
God is not only very powerful; He is also the embodiment of love, God’s focal plan therefore,
centred on the redemption of man.
From the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation, the entire Bible is Christocentric – In
other words, the Bible centres around the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophecy of His first coming;
His actual coming and life; His teachings, death and resurrection; His ascension to heaven;
and His future return to earth to judge the world and restore the Kingdom of God the Father in
the world.
Foursquare Gospel Church, VGC
Preacher: Pastor Rotimi Idowu
Topic: God's ways - The way of Trust
Date: Sun. March 21, 2021