Looking unto Jesus 09-09-1999

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN)

(Now Church of Christ in Nations)

Headquarters Compound Church

Youth Week

9th September, 1999

SERMON

* Speaker: [no data]

* Topic: Looking unto Jesus

* Text: Hebrews 12:1-15

* The secret to spiritual vitality is looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith

* Jesus also ran the race of faith though He faced many obstacles

* There is a prize at the end of the road

* When winning a race, the direction of your face matters a lot

→ An athlete must be a focused person

★ Psalm 57

* One who must draw vitality from God MUST be focused

→ NOTE: Everything you look at affects you

* A man who is not looking 'up' cannot get anything from there

★ James 1:6 → "But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."

* The reason why many who were ordained for greatness did not get there is because they did not fix their eyes on the goal

★ James 1:5-7

→ A person who is unstable will never recieve anything from God

* Many Christians are indecisive and unstable in their ways

* God gives His blessings only to those who are not unstable and careless

* Physical things are ordered from the spiritual realm - if you are unstable in your spiritual life, it will manifest in the physical things that can be seen

* No human being is a reference point for our Christian living

→ You should only conform to the image of Jesus

* No human being is indispensable and you cannot fulfil God's desires until your eyes are fixed and focused on Jesus - when He becomes your reference point

* Instability is a major disqualification for a man who wants to walk with God

* The pleasures of this life have the potential to make you unstable

→ The best things in life might not be God's will for you

* The whole duty of man is to fear God

→(Ecclesiastes 12:13)

★ Psalm 73

→ When you consider the prosperity of the wicked (of the world) you'll slip away

* Every advantage in life has disadvantages

* A man that lives in godless pleasure now is actually living in death

* Even if you attain your heart's dreams while here on earth, you still have eternity to face

* You may be happy, but without Jesus, you cannot find true joy (which is a fruit of the spirit)

* Men who do not have God cannot sing in the midst of calamity

Race/Competition (Pastor Williams Nyashi) 21-06-1998

★ MY SERMON NOTES
SUNDAY SERVICE
@ Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA)
(Now, Evangelical Church Winning All)
Airport, Abuja - Nigeria
21st June, 1998

SERMON
* Topic: Race/Competition
* Speaker: Pastor Williams Nyashi
* Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 → "(6) I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for my departure has come. (7) I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. (8) 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."

* The most important thing in any race or competition is the ending part

* Every one in life is in one form of race/ competition or the other

* Verse 7: Paul lived and examplary life, which young people should emulate

* A good begining is not a guarantee for a successful ending

* NOTE: Paul wrote this passage while in chains (in prison custody)

* Christians engaged in the race should endeavor to initiate others also, like Paul did

* The secret of death is hidden to every mortal. We all must carry on the good race of faith if not so, we'll face the judgement

* Our spiritual competition is with our arch-enemy, the devil who fights to keep us from worshipping God

* The Holy Spirit will help us win (the race before us)

* NOTE: It is not over till it is over