The Baptism of Jesus (Pastor Yakubu Adamu Yola) 19-06-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC)

Wuye, Abuja

2nd Sunday Service

19th June, 2016

Pastor Yakubu Adamu Yola
Picture Credit: FWC Media

☆ SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Yakubu Adamu Yola

* Topic: The Baptism of Jesus

* Theme: Our Jesus

* Text: Matthew 3:13-17

* Baptism is an outward demonstration of a person's faith in Jesus

→ It entails complete immersion in water (which signifies being buried and raised with Christ)

☆ Points to Note about Baptism:

1. Voluntary:

→ Baptism should be a voluntary act and not out of compulsion

Note: "Jesus Came to be baptized' (verse 13)

→ He was deliberate about it

→ Was not forced to do it

2. Submission:

* Jesus submitted Himself for baptism as a model of obedience

→ As a Christian, you must follow the example of Jesus in all things

3. Sign:

* Jesus' baptism was a sign to John the Baptist which authenticated his ministry and prophesies

★ John 1:30

→ Baptism signifies our death and resurrection with Christ Jesus 

4. Humility

→ Jesus' baptism is a demonstration of His humility

→ He went to John (despite the fact that He is God)

→ Humility preceded the ministry of Jesus

→ It shows His commitment to doing what was right (Jesus traveled 90 Kilometers from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized)

★ Verse 15:

→ Jesus did not need to be baptized, but He still submitted Himself for it

→ NOTE: Jesus did not need to be baptized in order to be righteous. [He is the righteousness of God].

* He went through baptism so that the entire plan of God prophesied through John the Baptist will be fulfilled

* It doesn't matter how the plan of God is.

→ It is always fitting

5. It affirmed John the Baptists' Ministry

★ John 1:26-27

6. It is the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the law as required at that time

★ Matthew 5:17

☆ Lessons to Note from Jesus' Baptism:

* Doing the will of God was Jesus' priority

→ At the beginning of your Christian life, ensure that you are baptized

→ There is a big picture for your life and you must be ready to make the necessary sacrifices to bring it to pass

→ Having the big picture in mind helps you keep focus in life

→ Every Christian should always have something greater than him/her that he/she is living for

* There is nothing wrong in being humble:

→ Men: There is nothing wrong in serving your wife, your children or others

→ Humility does not make you less of a man

* NOTE: Jesus did not introduce Himself (as the Son of God) when the got to the river Jordan

→ It was not important!

* Even when Jesus started making going to the Temple his custom (between age 12-30), He humbled Himself under the instruction of the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Priests

* There is nothing wrong in learning under the authority of those who do not know more than you

* You must always obey instructions that are prescribed in Church, at your workplace, in the Nation etc

* Being Humble will not make you cease to be who you are

→ Humility is very powerful

→ Humility makes you more honorable

* NOTE: David respected order, authority and processes [and that is why he excelled as a shepherd, soldier and later as a King].

→ This is our model as Christians

→ Humility is the key to honor (Proverbs 18:12)

* (verse 16) There is a 'coming up' for every humble person

→ there is honor and elevation in humility (see: Matthew 23:12, 1 Peter 5:6)

☆ 3 Things that Happened when Jesus became baptized:

(a) The Heavens were Opened

(b) Spirit of God came upon Him

→ this is anointing; empowerment

→ There is an anointing of God for every assignment on earth

→ Jesus affirmed this truth in Luke 4:18-20

(c) God's approval

→ God does not approve proud people

* Everything in life has a foundation

★ Hebrews 3:4 →"For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God."

* One day, everything in your life will be tested

→ If the foundation (of your works) is not solid, it will not endure

★ Matthew 7:23

* Before you start any business or endeavor, ensure that you start right

* It is fitting to fulfill all righteousness

☆ Prayer:

Father, help me to be humble,

I realize that what you have

called me to do is greater than me,

Therefore I need your empowerment 
Reveal your love to me anew;

I need you in every area of my life

The Early Years of Jesus (Pastor Sarah Omakwu) 12-06-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC)

Wuye, Abuja

2nd Sunday Service

12th June, 2016

Pastor Sarah Omakwu 
Picture Credit: FWC Media

☆ SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omakwu

* Topic: The Early Years of Jesus

* Theme: Our Jesus

* Text: Luke 2:21-52

★ Proverbs 22:6 →"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." 

* Jesus came from Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judah

★ Micah 5:2

★ Matthew 2:6

* He came from a humble 'human' background.

→ Joseph and Mary were just ordinary people looking forward to an ordinary marriage, but Jesus' birth into their family and changed their lives because He was not an ordinary child

→ Jesus charged the trajectory of his parents

☆ Question: What have you changed in the lives of your parents? Have you made their lives better or worse?

* NOTE: Your children are not ordinary and you must diligently train them up to fulfill the purpose of God in their lives

* Jesus came [to the earth] by prophesy

→ You also came by prophesy and you are not ordinary. Your birth Was not merely happenstance

→ You must stop living life as if you are ordinary

* The most noblest thing for every woman to do is to take care of her husband and raise great giants for God

→ No amount of professional, social or business achievement can compare with that!

→ We live in a world where parents abandon their family at the expense of career - especially mothers

* As a child, you must do something to lift up your parents and change their trajectory for the better

* Jesus is God, yet He was born into a humble human family and lived a humble life

→ He did not make a big deal out of the fact that He came from a 'Royal' background

→ Regardless of your present circumstances, you will breakthrough and become great someday. Remain humble.

* Nazareth was a small despised town that Philip (a would-be disciple of Jesus) thought that nothing good or valuable could ever come out of it

★ John 1:45

* You must not allow people's pessimistic comments to discourage you from becoming what God wants you to be

☆ Challenge: You must be that good thing that proceeds out of your clan!

→ You were created to break the bounds of ordinary and show forth the [extraordinary] praise of God

* Many parents today are consumed in the endless quest for acquiring material things, while the lives of their children are falling apart

* NOTE: Joseph really took care of Jesus and was 'hands on' with respect to the godly upbringing of Jesus

→ He was intensely involved in the life of Jesus at every step of the way

* The purpose of your birthing children is to craft them to become what God wanted them to be

→ Don't just give them things

→ Ensure that you spend quality time with them, mentoring them in God's precepts

* Young boys (especially children of single mothers) need godly men who will mentor them, not those who will come around and want to take advantage of their sisters or mothers

* Do not relegate your responsibility of raising your kids to the television [or the maids]!

→ what the television spews out, that is what they will consume

* Mary was a woman of the Word

★ Luke 1:46-55 (she quoted scriptures)

→ Mary directed Jesus when he was growing up.

→ She taught Him the Torah (The 5 books of Moses)

* Jesus had a strict Jewish upbringing

→ He was taken to the Passover, to the Synagogue etc. till it became His way of life when He started ministry at the age of 30

→ Your children must also be brought up and instructed in the way of the Lord

* By age 13 Jesus must have become a 'Bar Mitzvah' (son of the commandment)

→ Jesus did that so that He will never be termed a lawless person

→ He fulfilled all righteousness

★ Matthew 5:17

* Your children can achieve all they can (academically, socially and materially), but if they do not have Jesus, they are nothing!

→ The outcome of your children is the report card of your parenting

* NOTE: A good foundation is important

* Training is more than telling.

→ It involves teaching, mentoring and modelling

* Do not just tell them about God, 'show' them God

→ Be a godly example

→ You must be willing to 'travel down the road' yourself with your children

* You must remove anything that introduces demonic influence in the the lives of your children:

→ pornographic materials

→ Indecent clothes

→ alcoholic drinks in the fridge

etc

* To train a child in the way he/she should go, you must be in the way yourself!

* NOTE: Children do not do what you say; they do what you do!

→ Question: Are you doing the right thing?

* The goal of training is to make the trainee proficient

★ Verse 51:

→ Jesus was subject and obedient to His parents

→ Parents must be proactive and diligent in disciplining their children to do the right thing at all times

* Do not go to Church and leave your children at home

→ Teach them the importance of fellowship and the discipline of praying and studying God's word right from an early age

★ Proverbs 22:15 →"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him."

* NOTE: discipline must be done in love

→ Do not carry out your frustration on your children

* NOTE: After the age of 12, nothing was recorded about Jesus until He was 30

→ He was busy learning subjection (to His earthy parents) in silence and humility, before His manifestation in Ministry

→ You must not be in a hurry to be 'seen' by the world. Take time to prepare yourself in your closet before going public

☆ Lessons to learn:

* Your background is important as a springboard to worship God

→ You background has happened, your future has not happened. Therefore, your background must not be used to deprive you of a glorious future

* Do not allow what people say about you to discourage you

→ You can make it

→ Your greater days are ahead of you

→ There is hope for you

* You must refuse to be small and ordinary

☆ Challenge: Prove somebody wrong!

→ There are always pessimists that try to pull you down but you must not fall into their trap

→ Believe what God says about you in His Word and step out in faith

* NOTE: Family is important

→ Pay attention to raising godly kids

→ Women: Your scorecard is your children

→ Do not ignore your children's upbringing in the process of building a career or business

* Godliness is the greatest legacy you can give your children

⇒ Not money in the account

→ Not even a good education!

* Come with your child to Church

→ Dedicate them to God's service, especially your first born

* Name your children well

→ Names have a prophetic significance that influences the children's destiny

→ A child's name is what he/will do

* NOTE: Jesus was learning submission for 18 years before He started public ministry at age 30!

* Through submission, you will get blessings and favor

→ Never leave a place of employment without a blessing from your employee

→ When you are getting married, ensure you get the blessings of your parents and pastors. Ensure you fulfill all cultural rites (pay her dowry!)

★ Proverbs 28:20 →"A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished."

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

☆ Closing:

☆ Pastor Wilson Akubo

★ Judges 13:12 →''Manoah said, “Now let Your words come to pass! What will be the boy's rule of life, and his work?”

→ You must ask the Lord for the rule of God concerning the life of every child God gives you

☆ QUOTE:

"In your business, you cannot outsource seed."

→ Mr. Boss Mustapha

Testimony and Thanksgiving Service (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 09-06-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

NDIC/DMO Chapel,

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

9th June, 2016  

Pastor 'Lola Owotumi ministering

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Testimony and Thanksgiving Service

* NOTE: Not all haste is bad.

→ There are situations you find yourself that you need God to intervene in a haste!

* Nothing is too hard for God to do

★ Psalm 40:13 →"Be pleased, O Lord, to take me out of danger; O Lord, come quickly and give me help."

★ Psalm 38:22 →"Come quickly to give me help, O Lord, my salvation."

★ Psalm 70:1 → "Let your salvation come quickly, O God; come quickly to my help, O Lord."

* When you are faced with a difficult situation in life, you just have to call upon the Lord

→ Do not panic

→ Do not resort to self help

* Ensure that your trust in the Lord is consistent

* God always answers prayers

★ Psalm 34:17- 19 → "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all."

* Your deliverance is just a prayer away!

* You must have the right attitude when calling upon the Lord in trouble:

→ attitude of faith

→ attitude of hope

★ Proverbs 18:10 → "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe."

* Whenever you call upon the name of Lord, He has an obligation to honor His name

* There is power in the name of Jesus

★ Acts 3:6 → ''Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

☆ Prayer:

I bless you Lord

Because you love me and you

Always hear me when I call

I thank you for

Of your help in times past. 

Thank you because you will

Always carry me in your hands

Mischievous Madness 25 (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 08-05-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Fellowship

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

8th June, 2016

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Topic: Mischievous Madness (25)

* Text: Proverbs 23:33 →''Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things." [NKJV]

* There are positive and negative aspects of haste.

→ You must avoid the negative and adopt the positive

* You must be hasty in obeying God's Word

★ Ecclesiastes 5:2 → "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

* There is a possibility that anything you say in haste is likely to be wrong

★ Amos 2:12-14 → "But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not."

* Do not put people under pressure to live up to societal or religious Standards

→ This is especially so for those who are not married or are yet to give birth

* It is good to show love and care, but you must not put people under pressure

* If you realize that your questions and care is putting someone under pressure, please withdraw

→ Pray for them instead

★ 2 Corinthians 1:8 → "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself."

★ 2 Corinthians 1:4 → "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

★ Prayer:

Comfort me Lord,

Help me to be a source of comfort to others,

Not a source of pressure

That will push anyone into undue haste

The Sovereignty of God (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 08-05-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Fellowship

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

8th June, 2016

LEADER'S PRAYER MEETING

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Topic: The Sovereignty of God

* Text: Amos 3:6-7 → "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

* In the sovereignty of God, He uses human beings to fulfill His purpose

* When God sends you, your responsibility is to obey without rationalizing the instructions He gives you

* Only those whom God reveals his Word to that knows what He Says

* God will not say anything unless there is something to be addressed

★ Psalm 119:60 →"I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments."

* Esau lost his birthright due to undue haste

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

★ Judges 11:24 →"Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess."

The Diety of Jesus 4 (Immanuel - God With Us) Pastor Sarah Omakwu 05-05-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC)

Wuye, Abuja

2nd Sunday Service

5th June, 2016

Pastor Sarah Omakwu  Picture Credit: FWC Media

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omakwu

* Topic: The Deity of Jesus 4 (Immanuel - God With Us)

* The birth of Jesus was not an ordinary event:

→ Nature was involved in His birth

→ When the shepherds heard about His birth, they rejoiced

→ Wise men brought Him symbolic gifts

→ When people met Jesus, their lives were transformed for good

* Jesus' name is His Assignment:

→ Immanuel (God with us)

→ Yahweh (Savior)

* He came to lead us to God

→ If you come in contact with Jesus, you have encountered God (because He is God)

☆ Important Scriptures that Talk about the Birth of Jesus Christ:

★ Matthew 1:18-25

→ The Holy Spirit can make a person pregnant! Nothing is impossible with Him

→ The Holy Spirit brings to manifestation things that were pronounced by God's Word

★ Matthew 2:1-23

→ NOTE: It was not fools that came to worship the baby Jesus: They were wise men

→ Sometimes it is okay to be afraid: Wisdom and common sense may dictate that you run away from trouble (verses 13-15)

→ Not all boldness is good

★ Luke 1:5-25

→ Because you did everything right does not mean that everything will happen to you right

→ NOTE: Bad things also happen to good people (verse 7)

→ When you remain faithful to God's service, you will be transformed

→ As long as you are alive and you trust God, you will experience His goodness

→ God will send a 'sign of reference' through somebody you know so that you understand that if He did it for them, He will do it for you.

→ The key to receiving from God is believing His Word (verse 45)

→ God is committed to fulfilling His promises

→ You cannot be in Christ and not have a testimony: Your mouth cannot be shut (see Mary's praise in verses 46-55)

→ You must not forget the mercies of the Lord towards you

→ There are some things that happen to you that you need people of 'kindred spirit' to encourage and support you (verse 56)

★ Luke 2:1-52

→ If God says it, He will do it; it may not be now, but He will do it

→ Every first child belongs to God and must be dedicated to Him (verse 23)

→ Nothing will happen to you until all the plans of God concerning your life are fulfilled (verse 26)

⇒ when you love God, you will take everything He wants from you seriously. No sacrifice is too much for God. (verse 41)

☆ Things to Note from the above verses:

* Joseph was a good & decent man: he obeyed God's Words and instructions to the very end

* As a child of God, you are supposed to be a person of integrity, totally subject to the will of God in all things

* When God gives you an instruction concerning your sexuality, you must obey Him.

→ Do not rationalize or analyze it with your intellect

→ Joseph did not violate Mary sexually while she was pregnant with Jesus (Matthew 1:25)

* When God is to work with and through you, He looks at your heart

* The attitude of ingratitude is blocking many people's blessings

→ Learn from Mary who praised God for all that He did for her

→ Learn from the shepherds and the wise men who looked for Jesus and worshiped Him, bringing praise and valuable symbolic gifts

* You must never get to the point that you take your salvation for granted

* If wise men followed Him, you must do same!

* NOTE: The Shepherds told others about Jesus (Luke 2:17):

⇒ when was the last time you told somebody about Jesus?

* Herod was jealous of Jesus

→ There are people that will always seek to antagonize and undermine God's blessings upon your life

* The main reason Jesus came to the world was to deliver you from your sin (Matthew 1:21)

→ This is His primary mission

☆ Question: When it is all said and done, will Jesus be an offense to you?

→ Jesus was an offense to Herod and He sought to suppress and eliminate Him by killing all of Jesus' peers (Matthew 2:16)

* You must respect the anointing of God upon His servants and ministers, regardless of their age, gender or status in life (Luke 1:43)

* Question: What will you do with the Son of God?

* NOTE: Jesus Christ has neutralized the power of sin

→ You must appropriate that victory in every aspect of your life and live daily as an over-comer! 

PS: This message and other messages 

by Pastor Sarah and other Pastors of Family Worship Centre 

may be downloaded via the Church's Website