SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
4th January, 2015
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
4th January, 2015
★ SERMON
* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur
* Text: Jeremiah 17:7-8 → "Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD, making the LORD his trust. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by a stream. He won’t fear when the heat comes, and his leaves will be green. In a year of drought he won’t be concerned, nor will he stop producing fruit.”
* Ephesians 4:15 → "Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah."
* Christianity in Africa is like Africa itself - it is very wide, but very Shallow. The same situation is reflective of Christianity in Nigeria
* Questions that we must ask Ourselves:
→ Why is it that there are no developed Counties on the African continent?
→ Did God create Africa to remain 'undeveloped' or 'developing'?
→ For how long will Nigeria remain a 'developing' Country?
→ What have we been doing as a nation that has caused us to stagnate on the level of underdevelopment?
→ What can we do differently as a nation to enable us move from the status of "developing" to "developed"?
→ Is Nigeria too comfortable to develop?
→ Who is not telling the truth: the leaders or the masses?
* The Definition(s) of Growth:
1. Growth entails the process of adding value to your life or to something
2. to Increase in size or quality
3. to begin to do something
4. to improve on something
5. to develop emotionally, spiritually or mentally
* Two types of Growth:
(a) positive growth
(b) negative growth
* Growing in Christ is the desired positive growth. Anything outside Christ is like a cancerous growth that eventually leads to death
* Every negative growth in the body kills its host, if it is not removed in time
* 10 Facts about Growth:
1. Nobody is born an adult - (both Physically and spiritually)
- At birth, every living thing starts off as an infant
2. Every one can grow
- Growth is not limited to a few people
- Every living thing has the natural potential to grow
3. The right time to grow is now
- When you fail to do what is required of you, your growth process would be stunted
4. To grow is not easy
- It involves discipline and numerous sacrifices
5. Growth is not accidental
- Growth is purely a deliberately planned and strategic process
6. Babies are immature but they are expected to grow eventually
7. Healthy things grow
- Sicknesses hinder the normal process of growth
8. There is no short-cut to growth
- there is nothing like an "instant growth"
- Growth is a process which must be allowed to take its course
9. We were born babies so that we can grow into maturity
10. Growth is always needed
- Regardless of the level you are presently, there is always room for improvement
* 7 Steps to (Spiritual) Growth
1. Have a desire to grow
- Growth depends on you
- For you to grow, you must be dissatisfied wits being a "baby Christian"
2. You must keep your desire to grow alive
3. Always see the need for growth in your life
4. Eat spiritual balanced diet (God's Word) regularly
★ Matthew 4:4 → “It is written, ‘One must not live on bread alone, but on every word coming out of the mouth of God.”
★ Joshua 1:8 → "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."
★ Acts 17:10-11 → " That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so."
5. Exercise and practice your faith
- Failure to exercise your faith will cause it to become weak and ineffective
6. Be patient
★ James 1:4 → " But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."
* Growth is a tedious process that takes time
7. Don't be discouraged
★ Joshua 1:6-7 → "Be strong and courageous, because you’ll be leading this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you—turn neither to the right nor to the left from it—so that you may succeed wherever you go."
* You need courage to be able to grow
* NOTE:
- Genesis 1:28-29
- When you became born again, you were given seeds, not fruits
- You must maintain a right spiritual balance in order for the 'seeds' to grow into 'fruits'
- You were born to blossom & boom
- Spiritual growth is optional. It purely depends on your personal Choice
* Quotes & bits During the Service (Pastor Victor Amos):
→ "When you take God seriously this year, you will see the difference"
→ "Responsible people always do the right thing at the right time"
No comments:
Post a Comment