The Building of a Life (Dr. Yakubu Usman) 03-05-2001

* MY SERMON NOTES

@ Arts & Speakers,

Elratam Network  

Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN),

(now, Church of Christ in Nations)

Hwolshe, Gigiring – Jos

3^rd May, 2001  

SERMON  

* Speaker: Dr. Yakubu Usman

* Topic: The Building of a Life  

* The Three Things That Happen During the Teaching of the Word of God:

1. Some do not understand the teaching 

2. Some misunderstand the teaching  

3. Some understand but will respond with anger because it exposes their lifestyles

4. Some understand and are inspired to change their lives

 

* How wise are you?

- Is it possible you can be wiser?

- Are you as wise as you can be?

 

* If you had everything in your power (finances & resources) where will you site your building in Jos?

 

* Matthew 7:24-27

* These two builders represent types of Christians

* Being wise means living in accordance to the Word of God

 

* NOTE: The Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of the teachings of Jesus delivered at a particular period (not necessarily at one sitting)

 

* What is a parable?

- It is a story with a hidden spiritual meaning that may not be obvious at the first instance

- It is God’s special revelation to believers seeking more light

 * The FOOLISH BUILDER (in Jesus’ parable) used sand to make his foundation

* The location and quality of a foundation determines the survival of any building

 * The WISE BUILDER chose the rock as his foundation

- Great effort is required to move building materials up a rock

- It takes tough and deliberate effort to live by the Word of God

 

* NOTE: Every Christian is a builder, having some sort of foundation

 

* Note the Similarities between the two (2) builders:

1. They were both builders

2. They had the same wood from (probably) the same source

3. They were subjected to similar challenges – wind & rain

    - There is ample evidence that good and bad people suffer alike  

* Matthew 5:45 – These are challenges:

    - Rain represents blessings in scriptures

    - If the foundation is not solid, rain which is supposed to be a blessing would become a curse

 

* Both houses represent five (5) things:

(a) Character  - (the stuff you are made up of)

(b) Lifestyle – (things that portray you/your life’s priorities)

(c) Goals of your life (things you want to accomplish in life) 

(d) Dreams – (things you wish you had)

(e) Conduct – (behavior)

* The only thing that they had as a variable was the foundation

* On what foundation are you standing on?

* If you are faced with a situation, how many scriptural principles come to your mind?

* You cannot lay a strong foundation if you don’t hear clearly from God

 Some ‘Building Materials’ available to Christians:

1.   Righteous acts (Matthew 6:1-6)

2.   The Knowledge of God (Matthew 5:5-8)

    -  This always results in producing humility in your life 

3.   Dealing with your weaknesses (Matthew 7:1-5)

    -  This prepares you to withstand the storm of temptations whenever they arise  

4.   Doing God’s will

5.   Appreciating God’s forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15)

6.   Rightly handling material possessions (Matthew6:19-42)

7.   A consistent life of integrity

    -  The fruits of God’s Words and your lifestyle must tie together, if not, something is definitely wrong

 

Important Questions you need to ask yourself: 

* How rich or poor are you spiritually?

* How often do you mourn over your sins and those of others?

* To what extent do you hunger and thirst for righteousness?       

* Do you deserve God’s mercy judging from how you treat others?

* How pure is your heart?

* Do people call you a child of God?

* Are you experiencing some form of persecution because of your faith?

* How meek are you?

* Are you hiding your light or are you shining it?

* How wise are you?

* What extent are you willing to go in order to become wise?

 

* NOTE: A life committed to Christ will never fall

 

* What you do about the Word of God that you hear reveals whether you are wise or not

* Psalm1:1-6

 

* Are you so knowledgeable that you think that there is nothing new to learn?   

 

 

 

The Gospel Musician in God's Ministry 12-06-1999

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Elratam Network Ministry, Jos

Plateau State - Nigeria

12th June, 1999

ARTS & SPEAKERS

* 2nd Speaker: [no data]

* Topic: The Gospel Musician in God's Ministry

* NOTE: The musician is God's musician and the ministry is God's ministry

* God operates on a full scale of completeness and He expects you to function thus (that is, on 'full current')

* God will not accept partially done work

★ 1 Samuel 15:1-35

* Like Israel, what are you asking God concerning your music ministry?

 

* Most Gospel musicians today are secular musicians with a Gospel tag

 

★ 1 Samuel 15-17 (Saul does God's instructions his own way)

* Some Gospel musicians carry God's command in a worldly fashion. They engage in quest for fame, money, properties, especially through modifying God's Word to fit worldly styles (So that it would be 'more acceptable' or less offensive to their audience)

→ This should not be so

* When you obey God, you must do it completely

* NOTE: God is grieved when His servants fail Him

★ John 15:14 →"You are my friends, if you do what I command you."

* Questions to Consider:

→ Who occupies the centre stage in your music ministry?

→ How does God see You?

→ Does He regard you as a rebellious servant?

* God will not accept any form of partial confession of your sins (verse 24)

* God can honour someone temporary for the sake of another faithful servant of His

* NOTE: God will always accomplish his prophesies (Words) in spite of your sins or act of disobedience

* If you don't do what God asks you to do, He will get someone else to do it

* Question: Has God been blessing your ministry because of someone else's faithfulness?

* There are so many unfinished songs that are been produced and sold today as Gospel Music.

⇒ Most of these come from unfruitful and unscriptural minds. God will reject them.

* Question: Are you harbouring any partially confessed sins in your life?

* Question: Who are you more like?

→ Saul (the partial worker)?

→ Samuel (the thorough worker)?

The Music Minister's Worship (Mr. Lewis) 12-06-1999

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Elratam Network Ministry, Jos

Plateau State - Nigeria

12th June, 1999

ARTS & SPEAKERS

* 1st Speaker: Mr. Lewis

* Topic: The Music Minister's Worship

* Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 →"I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. The victor’s crown of righteousness is now waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on the day that he comes, and not only to me but also to all who eagerly wait for his appearing." (ISV)

* God created us and we will one day go and live with Him forever

* While here on earth, we are expected to live in God's will using the gifts and talents He has given us

 

★ Matthew 22:37-40 ⇒''Jesus told him, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is exactly like it: ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.” (ISV)

* You are to love God and serve Him with your all (heart, mind & soul)

* You are also to love your neighbours, regardless of whether they are believers in Christ or not

→ This is the second greatest commandment

* NOTE: These two commandments sum up the aim of the Music Ministry

* We are God's worshippers and evangelists to those who do not believe in Christ

★ Matthew 18:18-20 →"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. Furthermore, I tell all of you with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.” (ISV)

★ 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 →"All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through the Messiah and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, for through the Messiah, God was reconciling the world to himself by not counting their sins against them. He has committed his message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are the Messiah’s representatives, as though God were pleading through us. We plead on the Messiah’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God!” (ISV)

* When Jesus came with the ministry of reconciliation after his death, He passed it to us

* You need to know your ministry to avoid working outside God's will and so that you can one day say with confidence that you have really finished your work

☆ What Worship entails:

1. To acknowledge who God is

2. Respecting God's goodness

3. Act of adoring God's lordship

* Worship can also be the response of an individual to God depending on how God reveals Himself to such a person

* Worship has to with total submission

* How much you know God determines how much you can praise Him

☆ Responses to Worship:

* There are basically two types of responses to worship, these include:

 

1. Primary Response

→ This type of response lasts for a lifetime!

★ Romans 12:1 →"I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship."

* NOTE: This type of worship transforms a person's mind and character

2. Secondary Response

→ This type of response is usually temporary or spontaneous

→ No matter how long it lasts, It usually comes to an end

→ It does not affect or modify the worshipper's inner character

* NOTE: The right kind of songs of worship and praise are the songs that focus on God

* Some Christian music ministers live a different life style from what they sing on Sunday

* If Someone fails in primary level of response, he/she will definitely fail to please God in secondary level of worship

* NOTE: An honest confession will result to a changed life