First things First (Pastor Dangana Nyazan) 27-12-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Jiyep - Hwolshe, Jos;

Plateau State - Nigeria

27th December, 2015

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Dangana Nyazan

* Topic: First Things First

* Text: Matthew 6:33 →"But first be concerned about God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well."

★ ILLUSTRATION

A man went to a motor park early in the morning hoping to catch a taxi to Jalingo, Taraba State of Nigeria from Jos, Plateau State. Other passengers arrived and tickets were sold. At the time for boarding, no seat was reserved for the man and he started making trouble that he was the first to arrive the park and therefore, should be given a seat in the taxi. On further investigation, it was discovered that the man possessed a ticket for the previous day and was prevented from boarding. His ticket was not valid.

* There is a destined date attached to everything and every event in the world

* In the Nigerian educational system, before you proceed to the next level, you must show a certificate evidencing that you had passed the previous level(s) as a prerequisite (Eg: the Secondary School Certificate is a prerequisite for gaining admission into University)

* As you make your plans for the next year, there are uncertainties that may affect the success of your plans

★ Jeremiah 29:11 →"For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for well-being, and not for calamity, in order to give you a future and a hope."

* God has a good plan for his sons and daughters.

→ Excellent blessings for the present and the future

* Before you will enjoy God's blessings in the coming year, you have to seek the Kingdom of God as a prerequisite

* You should subject ALL your plans to the Lord's will as you seek him earnestly

* God desires to bless you, but you have to choose to access these blessings by faith

* As you prepare to step into 2016, realize that God is the owner of every day and every year

* Life is full of uncertainties, and only God knows the end of every person

* Many of us make plans without God - like the rich fool in Luke 12:16-21 who erroneously assumed that he controlled his own life

* Ensure that you plan with God every step of the way

* Make it your priority to seek God today and in the coming years

* The wise who always seek God have wonderful testimonies because He will always bless them

* As you continuously seek God earnestly, He will grant the desires of your heart

* If you walk alone, you will never reach your destiny

→ If you walk with God, he will guide and prosper you

How Not to Talk to An Angel (Rev. Tongsmang Dasbak) 25-12-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Jesus Revelation Assembly,

Tudun Wada Ring-Road

Jos - Plateau State

25th December, 2015

SERMON

☆ Speaker: Rev. Tongsmang Dasbak

☆ Topic: How Not To Talk To An Angel

☆ Text: Luke 1:5-20;

* Luke 57-64

Rev. Tongsmang Dasbak

 

☆ Question: Why do we bother celebrating (Christmas & New Year) when things are not going the way they should go?

* Zachariah asked angel Gabriel a question that got him into trouble.

★ Verse 18: Then Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man, and my wife is getting older?”

→ In other words, he doubted the information passed on to him from God

* NOTE: Gideon asked a similar question but 'escaped' God's wrath

→ See: Judges 6:12-21

* Many times, we are also skeptical of the efficacy of God's Word, especially in challenging circumstances

* How long you have walked with God is not an automatic ticket to know all of God's ways

→ those 'experienced' in God's ways and knowledge also doubt Him sometimes

* Many people doubt God's Word by believing that nothing will work out fine because of the unfavorable circumstances around them

* Many people will never access what God has in store for them because their unbelief acts as a barrier.

→ They want concrete proof before they believe God

* Compare Zachariah's response with Mary's response to the angel's message (Luke 1:34-38)

→ Mary submitted to God's will in faith

* God does not bless people that hoard

→ They do not release blessings to others

→ God blesses people that are liberal and generous in everything

* Many people treat God as if he is a man. They do not trust him

☆ What is so Special about Christmas?

→ Historically, Jesus was not given birth to on the 25th of December

→ Jesus never requested to be celebrated on the 25th of December of every year!

* NOTE: The only thing Jesus expressly requested that we should frequently remember is his death and suffering (through communion), not his birth! (1 Corinthians 11:24)

→ Unfortunately, this is what we do infrequently and without as much excitement which is always associated with Christmas

* There are certain situations in your life that cannot be reversed without God's divine visitation

* There is nothing too hard or too late when it comes to God

★ Luke 1:37 →"Nothing is impossible with respect to any of God’s promises.” (lSV)

* Maybe God allowed you to see today so that you can trust him for the reversal of your (negative) situation

→ But you must believe that He is capable of doing anything

* Maybe you are in that particular difficult situation so that you can learn to believe in God for deliverance

* God is the "impossibility specialist"

(a) an old couple giving birth;

(b) a virgin giving birth without intercourse

* It is easier for younger people to give birth, not old couples. This expains Sarah & Abraham's scepticism when God promised that Sarah will give birth to a child in her old age

→ See: Genesis 17:17; 18:12-13

★ POINTS TO NOTE:

1. Even very strong believers can stumble in an area of unbelief

→ You will have what God has already ordained for you, regardless of what happens

→ If the Lord said it, it will definitely happen

2. Sometimes, long delays can cause you to have unbelief

→ no matter how dire your condition is, you must never accept what God has not ordained for you

→ When it comes to God, he does not have 'time'. He is limitless!

→ Do not be tired of trusting God

★ Luke 1:10 →"And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned."

* There may be times in our lives when we feel as if God does not hear our prayers and everything looks hopeless

* There are times that it seems God does both good and bad at the same time:

→ He answers Zachariah's prayer by promising him a baby, but he made him dumb (See: Luke 1:13, 20)

★ My Confession:

"My own life will not remain like this; In the next few years my situation will this around for good"

3. Man's Unbelief will not cancel God's plan

☆ Luke 1:19-20 →"The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to announce this good news to you. But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens.”

* Your celebration will not be complete till your situation is turned around

→ Trust Him for something definate today!

Rev. Tongsmang Dasbak

The Church Band ministering

Think Good Thoughts Only (Pastor Ishaya Paul Demsa) 28-06-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ FOLMI Lighthouse Family Church,

Venue: Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT),

Old Airport Road, Jos, 

   28th June, 2015

☆PRAISE JAM FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE

★ SERMON

* Topic: Think Good Thoughts Only

* Speaker: Pastor Ishaya Paul Demsa

* Text: Philippians 4:4-8

Pastor Ishaya Paul Demsa

* Your whole life is 'made up' of your thought life

* Your life can never be better than your thoughts

* Your life is the manifestation of your thoughts

* You can hide your thoughts from people around you, but you can't hide its manifestation

* Your present life is the product of your thoughts over the past years

* God wants your thoughts to be pure and good because if you think good, you will inevitably live good

* The Word of God is given for the primary purpose of transforming your mind

* God's goal is for you to think and live like a god here on earth: this can only be possible through constantly meditating on His Words

* If you are not living like a god, it means you are wasting the God-given resources allocated to you

* Proverbs 23:7a → "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..."

☆ POINTS TO NOTE:

1. Fill your mind with good thoughts

→ You cannot put anything more in a container that is already filled

→ If your mind is saturated with good thoughts, evil thoughts will not find an accomodation there

→ Thoughts are powerful: All human inventions (no matter how trivial or sophisticated) are the product of thoughts

2. Fix your mind and attention on beautiful things

→ Continuous thoughts soon become a reality

→ Your mind is a tool for transforming your life

→ God gave you your mind so that you can create your life

→ Anything happening in your mind is a preview of what will eventually happen in your life!

* Romans 12:2 →"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

* Until your thoughts change, your life won't change

* The quality of your thought life determines the quality of your actual life

* The 'mother' of your real life is your thoughts

* Your thoughts have the ability to mold you, more than your actual life ever can

* Your thought life is more realistic than your actual life

* The preparation for success in real life begins in your mind.

→ It is virtually impossible for a man who thinks of himself as a failure to ever become a success in real life

* Those who fail in life had already failed in their minds a long time ago

★ TWO WAYS THOUGHTS ARE CREATED:

1. Godly thoughts

→ These are the thoughts that proceed from God Himself

* Jeremiah 29:11 →"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

*God is a 'thinking being'

*God's thoughts are not like man's thoughts (See: Isaiah 55:8-9)

*Nothing you do (or fail to do) can ever change God's thoughts about you

☆ Amos 3:3 → "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

→ The real reason why many people are not living their at their personal best is because they fail to 'agree' with God's thoughts for their life

*All good and positive thoughts come from God

→ Satan does not have the capacity or ability to produce good thoughts that are in conformity with God's Word

2. Devilish thoughts

☆1 Peter 5:8→"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

☆2 Corinthians 4:4 →"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

* All bad and nagative thoughts are from the devil

*God will never scare you with evil thoughts for any reason!

☆ 2 Corinthians 10:5 →"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

* You must guard your thoughts against all forms of negativity and evil (See: Proverbs 4:23)

* NOTE: Satan can't stand a man of good thoughts

* Thoughts are ideas that are fighting to become real in your life

* The best way to fight a bad thought is to speak out the Word of God that neutralizes it

→ Is order to do this effectively, you must study and memorize the Scriptures regularly

* Thoughts are the foundation of all things

* Question: What are you thinking?

* The easiest thing to do in this life is to think

→ You do not need anybody's permission to generate a thought in your mind

☆Food for thought: God's mind is full of good thoughts about me!

Dareng Cj Nyam

Manji

Wordsmith

Praise and worship by the Lighthouse Family Choir

Old Minds Can't Hold New Blessings (Rev. Mrs Christy Ngasony) 26-04-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Jesus Revelation Assembly (JRA)

Tudun Wada Ring-Road,

Jos - Plateau State

26th April, 2015

JRA WOMENS' CONVENTION 2015

Theme: Excelling Through Every Season of a Woman's Life

SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. Mrs Christy Ngasony (International Praise Church, Yola)

* Topic: Old Minds Can't Hold New Blessings

* Text: Matthew 9:15-17 (NLT)



Rev. Mrs. Christy Ngasony

* When God wants to change your season, He first changes your pattern of thought

* What you think determines what you get

* As children of God, we face different kinds of 'examinations' in life

* The content of your mind determines your victory, blessings and prosperity

* Your mind is a very powerful tool

* Women that love fashion take new cloth to tailors and ask them to sew it for them

→ If they like the design on an old dress, they take it and use it as a sample

→ They don't sew the new cloth on the old one!

* The bottle (wineskin) is you:

→ the inside space is your mind

★ 2 Corinthians 5:17 → "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come."

* The tradition of men makes the Word of God unproductive

→ Mark 7:8

→ Colossians 2:8

* Many people (including Christians) exalt traditional & cultural beliefs above the Word of God

* The word of God can never be productive if your mind is feeding on negative things

* Until your mind is renewed with God's Word, the season of breakthrough that you desire will always elude you

★ 1 Corinthians 13:5

→ Keeping a records of wrongs in a relationship is a sign of the existence of 'old wineskin'

→ Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8)

* What you have in your mind can either limit you or cause you to breakthrough into prosperity

* What you hear and see matters a lot

→ Watch what you feed your mind on

* A man who does not have regard for women will always be limited in life - He will not go far!

* You must do your best to keep a clean mind towards every one you meet in life

* Even body that comes through your 'road' comes for a reason or for a season

* When your season comes, God can orchestrate events to usher in your season

* It takes just a Word from God to change your season for the better, and you can't tell who God will use to bring that Word

* God can use anybody to change your season

* Anytime you come to Church, don't come with a prejudiced mind (towards the person preaching)

* Many people come to Church for different reasons, not because they want to hear from God

→ Some people just come to socialize with their friends; some come to display their skills & be recognised, etc.; not to 'meet' God

* God knows why you meet with people

* When you are filled with bitterness, pride, hate, dislike, etc. your season for change will come and pass you by (without you recognising it)

* You cannot be blessed if you are not happy with the one God sent to bless you

* An old wineskin will always break because of pressure

→ It cannot stand the test of time

* You must understand times and Seasons

→ (See: 1 Chronicles 12:32)

* Words carry power!

→ Women: Be careful with what you say to your husband; Don't force your husband to also hate those you hate

* God is not a respecter of persons

(See: Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11)

* God's leadership style is different from those adopted by men

* It is not about how long, but about how committed and loyal you are (to God and to those whom God has set over you)

* Disloyal people never go far in life

* Your key to breakthrough is through faithful and loyal service

* Loyal people never expose the weakness of their leader

* Note: You can't buy favor

* Be careful with what you say about others (in gossip) - it can rob you of your blessings

* whatever you are going through in service, it is only a matter of time; you will experience breakthrough

* Seek opportunities to serve in your local Church

* Whatever you do in secret, one day, it will surely show up in the public (See: Luke 8:17 and 12:2)

* The spirit of covetousness limits and destroys many Christians

* Live a life of forgiveness

* Learn to love the even the unlovable

* When you receive a Servant of God that He has set over you, you receive covering, because a Word from Him will change your Season for the better

* The day a leader gets a good prophet, things change for good

* Unfortunately, there are so many covetous 'Prophets' that are misleading our (political) leaders today

→ They 'corner' them for the advancement of their own selfish ambition

* God Knows why He Kept you in that 'fold'

★ John 6:5-7

★ Matthew 26:8-11

→ There are people who are always critical of the giving of others and are saddened when they see Ministers of the Gospel looking good and prospering

* The motive you do things would either make you prosper or limit your chances of growth

* If you are a member of a Church, giving to the Church can never be too much; It is your investment

* You can't be blessed if you are always possessed with a critical spirit

* Your season will change if you begin to do the right thing

* It is high time for Christians to the right things

→ If you are budgeting also take cognisance of your tithes, offerings and gifts to those who need help around you

* Always ensure that your mind is renewed with God's Word → (see: Romans 12:2)

* When the opportunity to engage in gossip presents itself to you, your response determines whether you will prosper or not

→ Shun gossip and backbiting

 

☆ NOTE: Unless You open your eyes to see and do what God wants you to do, you will remain in one place

 




Cross - section of Jesus Revelation Assembly (JRA) women in song ministration  

 







Relationships (Mrs Patricia Chollom) 26-04-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Jesus Revelation Assembly (JRA)

Tudun Wada Ring-Road,

Jos - Plateau State

26th April, 2015

JRA WOMENS' CONVENTION 2015

Theme: Excelling Through Every Season of a Woman's Life 

☆ SUMMARY OF TEACHING

FOR SATURDAY 25th April, 2015

* Speaker: Mrs Patricia Chollom (Lecturer, University of Jos)

* Topic: Relationships

Mrs Patricia Chollom

* God wants you to excel in your relationships



* God has set a standard for us (for relationships) in Jesus Christ

* If you do not have a vertical relationship (with God) you cannot have a horizontal relationship (with people around you)

* If your relationship with God is not complete, you will always have frictions in relating with people around you

* Do not be like the Galatians. They accepted Christ by faith, but they want to work out their salvation by self-effort (Galatians 3:3)

☆ Ingredients for Achieving Successful Relationships:

1. Faith

★ Rom 1:17 → "For in the gospel God’s righteousness is being revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”



* Successful relationships Cannot be established and maintained by self effort. It is by faith

* Self effort has limitations, and it will ultimately fail

* By knowing that we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

2. Love

★ Ephesians 1:4 → "just as he chose us in the Messiah before the creation of the universe to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love."

→ The love being referred to here is Agape love (pure, unconditional love)

* God expects us to love unconditionally and to also love the unlovable

→ We love because we have received unconditional love (1 John 4:19)

* For a relationship to be sound, there must not be any iota of suspicion

* Your love should not be like the ones politicians display in Nigeria

→They join a political party and pledge their love and allegiance to that party, but when they Cannot realize their personal (selfish) ambitions, they decamp to another party

* God's love is constant and does not change

★ Galatians 5:6 →"for in union with the Messiah Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith expressed through love."

→ Faith works (and its expressed) by love

* If the basis of your relationship not love, it will ultimately fail

* Do not love because you are expecting something

→ The moment you don't get what you are expecting, the love will die out naturally

* Always ask God for a dose of His love

* You cannot give what you don't have

→ If God does not fill your heart with love, you become incapable of showing genuine love to anyone

* 1 Corinthians 13 → Describes God's kind of love

* The greatest weapon on earth is love

→ Love is more effective than any known man-made weapon of destruction

* Trust God in faith and allow Him to fill Your heart with His love

* Pursue love as your highest goal (1 Corinthians 14:1)

* Try by faith, not by effort

* Husbands have a responsibility to love their wives

→ Follow Jesus' standard of love (Ephesians 5:25)

* Women: Love unconditionally, whether you are appreciated or not

☆ Counsel to Singles:

(a) Do not fall in and out of relationships (looking for love);

(b) Keep yourself pure;

(c) Remain lovable

☆ NOTE:

→ God made us for relationships

→ God wants to relate with us, and for us to relate with others

→ If you do not want to love, you must relocate to another planet!

The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Christian Home (Pastor Francis) 05-07-2014

★ MY SERMON NOTES

Wedding - Umushe Jane Matta & Naanlong

@ ECWA Plateau Church, Laminga Road,

Jos, Plateau State - Nigeria

5th July, 2014

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Francis  

* Topic: The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Christian Home

* Christian marriage is based on sacred promises & vows

* Today, many couples have abandoned their marriage vows

* There is a call on every Christian couple to go back to the basics - which is the Word of God

* We must get back to the original plan of God for marriage

* The world has been trying to redefine marriage by introducing and promoting strange perversions in the marriage institution with a view to undermine God's standards

* The Christian home is under attack from the secular movement and carnal philosophies

★ Colossians 3:2 → "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

★ Ephesians 4:1 →"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called."

★ Ephesians 4:17 →"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind."

* Our values as Christian couples/families must portray the light of Christ

* We must not be influenced by the world

* Only the distinction that we have in Christ can draw the World to Christ

★ Ephesians 5:18 → "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

* What is lacking today, making Christians a far-cry from what God wants us to be is the fact that the Holy Spirit has been relegated to the background in our personal affairs

* It takes the Holy Spirit to be able to love someone outside of yourself

* The "Adamic man" (the unreformed heart) is naturally selfish

* Today, there is no difference between Christians & those who are not

* The hope of this Country is not in political ideologies but in Christians who live up to the calling of God upon their lives

* We are often too preoccupied with living life and pursuing our businesses to live in the Spirit

* When the Holy Spirit controls a man, He Submits to his wife in love; When the Holy Spirit controls a woman, she submits to her husband with respect & without compulsion

* NOTE: Bacchus is the god of wine & intoxication

-When a person is drunk, his body is open to control from the demonic influence of Bacchus to do his will

* When the Holy Spirit controls you, your hope will be established in righteousness

* 1st Corinthians 12:13 →"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

* The Holy Spirit indwells only persons who have accepted Jesus as their Lord & Saviour

* The 'in-filling' with the Holy Spirit is different from being "baptized" with the Holy Spirit

* God is looking for those who are constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit

* When The Holy Spirit is in control, Jesus has a say in the family affairs

* When you are truly submitted to the Holy Spirit, He gives you what to input into Your marriage, so that you're not just looking for what you will get out of it.

* The Holy Spirit must be the centre of attraction in your home & marriage

* The Holy Spirit can reconcile and restore all that is lost

How to know Whether a Person is controlled by the Holy Spirit:

1. Joy (Christian Joy is internal stability despite external instability)

2. Gratitude & thankfulness

3. Submission

★JOY

* Joy is the evidence of a true Christian home

* Joy regulates the spiritual atmosphere of a situation

* Joy insulates your heart against being carried away by the circumstances of life

* Alcohol is a temporary depressant which brings no permanent Solution

★THANKFULNESS

* Ephesians 5:20 →"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

* A person who comes to terms with the fact that he cannot become what he now is without the help and input of others is never grateful

* You must learn the principle of constant gratitude in the Christian home

★ SUBMISSION

* One institution that humbles a man is marriage because it offers plenty opportunities for serving each other selflessly

* Ephesians 5:21-22

* The man is actually called to submit to his wife in love

* The wife is called to submit to her husband in respect

* Christian couples are to submit to Christ out of reverence

* Submissiveness does not disturb the established order of authority

* Serving the interest of another is anti-world system where selfishness is the order of the day

* How is your home today?

* What is the place of the Holy Spirit in your home & life?

Purity of Purpose (Bro. Alex Davou) 21-05-2001

* MY SERMON NOTES

@ Rescue Team,

Hwolshe – Gigiring, Jos

Plateau State, Nigeria

21^st May, 2001

SERMON

* Speaker: Bro. Alex Davou

* Topic: Purity of Purpose

 * Purity means to be clean/holy

* Purpose is one’s intention (to achieve a particular goal)

* You’ll not be judged by your intention unless it is realized.

* Men have good purposes/intentions but they usually find it hard to achieve them

* There is no greater poverty than that of imagination

* If you believe a lie, you’ll always be controlled by that lie

* Unless you ‘drink’ that which is of the Holy Spirit, you will not know what is of the Holy Spirit

* Unless you fight, you cannot be counted as being part of those who are bold

* The wisdom of the world is limited

* Many acquired wealth out of impunity – it will all be taken away

* Luke19:11-26

* If you forfeit your crown, it will be given to another person

* As a Christian, your primary purpose is to please your master – Jesus

* Our beauty as Christians is not physical but that of the spirit

* Everything we do here on earth is for an eternal reward

* If you die today, what will you be remembered for?

* Psalm40:6-7