Access to God's Grace (Rev. David Kwamkur) 05-10-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE

MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki- Abuja, Nigeria

5th October, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur

* Topic: Access to God's Grace

* Theme: Knowing the will of God

* Sub-theme: Blessings of doing God's Will

* Service leader: Mrs. Anna Yoila

* Text: 2nd Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

* John 1:16 -17

SERMON

* There is no point knowing the will of God if one has no intention of doing it

* If you do the will of God, there are blessings that are sure to follow you

* A preacher asked Someone: "do you know anything about grace?" The person answered "grace who?"

* Many people think of "grace" only as a name

* Grace is more than just a name

* Grace is everything we are today & will become tomorrow through the unquantifiable mercies of God

* Grace is the unmerited favour of God

* There are things that you will never achieve in life based on just credit & merit

* Grace is God's enablement, God's power, God's wisdom that compensates man's inability

* There is something in God that man does not have

* God's Grace is the sufficiency of God

* As a believer, you have the fullness of God in you

* Grace makes things that are inaccessible to become accessible

* God's grace helps the natural man to access things that are obtainable in the spiritual realm

* God's grace makes the impossible possible

* God's grace is the strength of God in times of weakness

* God's grace is the courage that comes to you when you are discouraged

* God's grace makes difficult things to be easy and surmountable

* God's grace is not in opposition with obedience

* God's grace enables you to obey God

* We cannot do as we like just because we are living under grace

* The grace of God keeps you away from sin

 

→ Romans 6:1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"

* The grace of God keeps you from Struggling - Whenever you struggle to get something, you must check

* God's grace promotes you from one level of struggle to the level of consistent victory

* You should not be struggling with the same thing that you struggled with this time last year

* Two Great Commodities given to Believers

1. Grace

2. Mercy

* Note: Most time, God gives us raw materials, not the finished product - There is something useful in every raw material

* Grace is the raw material used to produce what you not deserve

* Mercy is God not giving you what you deserve

* Grace & Mercy work & operate in every circumstance - their principles are static

* Types of Grace

1. Saving Grace

→ Ephesians 2:8-9

- This is potentially given to everybody

- You can only access it when you confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour

2. Sanctifying Grace

→ Leviticus 11:44 "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground."

- This grace Keeps you away from Sinning & Sets us apart for God

3. Sustaining Grace

→ 2nd Corinthians 6:3-10

- Grace keeps you from being overwhelmed by the issues of life

- Grace helps us to endure hardship

4. Growing Grace

→ Philippians 3:12-14

- this grace helps you to realize and maximize your potentials

* Being in the middle of God's grace does not exclude you from the Challenges of life

→ 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10

* God's grace is inexhaustible; it is infinite

* When you draw from God's Grace, you cannot get to the end of it.

A Christian Home (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 30-09-2014

NDIC/DMO Chapel,
Central Business District,
Garki-Abuja, Nigeria
30th September, 2014

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi
* Topic: A Christian Home

★ Romans 11:13-14 → "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them."

* In a family, there are different "offices"

* Every one in the family must recognize their roles & magnify their offices

* "Every Joint must Supply" → No member of the family should be lacking in doing what he/she is required to do

★ As a Christian, you must not:
(a) Desecrate Your office
(b) Relegate Your office
(c) Diminish Your office

* Verse 14 : Provoke your family members to promote good things
- Note that children always watch What you do and try to replicate same in their own lives

* Concentrate on your own office. Do not be distracted by anything

* Do not take over another person's office

* Ephesians 5:21 →"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."

WIFE
★ Ephesians 5:22-24

* A wise woman builds her own house

★ Proverbs14:1 - "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands"

* Submission is required of wives

* Such submission is done as unto the Lord, not man (the Husband)

★ 1st Peter 3:1-6

* If wives obey God, He will make their husbands to do their bidding

★ Isaiah 51:1-2 →" Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him."

* Christian women must not rely on their own understanding or wisdom to make their marriages/homes work

HUSBAND
* He is expected to be the "saviour" of the wife

* The husband should always provide for the family

Home Management (Rev. David Kwamkur) 28-09-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja, Nigeria
28th September, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur
* Topic: Home Management
* COCIN Community Development Project (CCDP)/Kyautatawa Zaman Iyalin Kristi (KZIK) Week
* Theme: Knowing the Will of God
* Sub theme: Excelling in the Grace of Giving
* Service Leader: Mr. Boniface Katlong

SERMON
* Without a Home, you cannot have Home Management

* Anywhere you are living with your family is your home

* A home is any institution or place of refuge, love, shelter, care, rest, protection, security, comfort, & nourishment

* A Christian home is a place where everyone relates with each other in a Christ-like manner

* You must know Christ first before you know how to relate in a Christ-like manner

* In order to relate in a Christ-like manner, there must be Love

* A Christ-like relationship is self-less

* The home is very essential to the existence of the Church

★ HOME ESTABLISHMENT
* Marriage is essential in establishing a viable home

* Usually, marriage begins with courtship

* Courtship is a key foundation of a marriage. It is a crucial period

★ COUNSELLING
* This involves getting guidance on any issue from a more experienced person

* Marriage is not just an idea, it is a living thing and you need Knowledge & godly counsel to keep it alive

★ WEDDING AND WEDDING CEREMONY
* Make up your mind from the start that you will keep your vows

* As a Christian, the wedding ceremony must be done in a godly way, not as one who is god-less

★ BALANCE
* For you to be godly Man/Woman, you must have a measure of balance in your life

* You must balance your social life, spiritual life with your marriage

* Balance career with marriage

* Balance inner beauty with physical beauty

* Take your marriage as seriously as you would take your career

★ THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL VALUES ON MARRIAGE
* Some cultural beliefs are contrary to God's standards

* Under God's standard, men and women are equal and they are required to submit to each other out of fear for God
→ (Ephesians 5:21)

★ PRAYER
* You must be prayerful as a Christian

* Instead of talking about your problems, pray about it
→ Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

* Every shortcoming in your spouse, or family is a prayer request

* Every Christian family must have a vibrant prayer altar where worship and prayer become ingrained as part of the family tradition

* Children Must learn how to pray and trust God from the Home

★ BROKEN HOMES
⇒ Some causes of broken marriages
1. Wrong choices
2. Parental, friends, in-laws (external) influence
3. lack of genuine love among couples
4. Communication breakdown
5. Sexual unfaithfulness
6. Stinginess - couples starve their partners

★ COMPLEX ISSUES IN HOME MANAGEMENT
* Some of the Complex issues that confront Christian families include:
→ Impotency
→ Infertility
→ Divorce
→ Management of aged relatives
→ Betrayal among family members

* These must be handled with wisdom, if not, they have the potential of causing disaffection among couples and breaking up the marriage

* There is nothing that God cannot do
→ Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible."

★ THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHIILDREN TOWARDS PARENTS
* Children must obey their parents

* Children must take care of their parents, especially where they are aged, sick or poor

* Children must trust God for wisdom in handling unrealistic expectations from parents

★ HANDLING CONFLICTS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS
* Acts 15:36-41

* Conflicts must be managed & resolved so that they do not affect family harmony

* Conflicts are usually a test

* We are expected to be peace makers as children of God

* A healthy & godly family is a product of hardwork and positive decision

Power of Praise in preaching the Infallible Word of God (Rev. John A. lbrahim) 21-09-2015

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA)

Central Business District, 

Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

[NDIC 25th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service]
21st September, 2014

 

* Speaker: Rev. John A. Ibrahim

* Topic: Power of Praise in preaching the Infallible Word of God

* Text: Joshua 5:13-6:27

* When we preach the word of God through songs of praise to God, there is joy & peace

 

* Many people have been saved as a result of preaching the Word of God through Songs

 

* In Acts 16:25-35, the Jailer and his entire family were saved as a result of preaching the Word of God through Songs as ministered by Paul & Silas

* Songs are powerful tools of ministration

* Who Was Joshua? (Joshua 5:1-5)

- He Was Moses' personal aide

- He was the successor of Moses

- He was a Military genius

- He was a leader of Israel

- He was courageous and eloquent

* But at the beginning, Joshua was not so mighty. God had to encourage him to be strong and courageous

★ Deut 11:24 -25

"Every place upon which the soles of your feet tread will be yours as boundaries—from the desert to Lebanon and from the River (that is, from the Euphrates) to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God will instill terror and fear of you throughout the entire land wherever you go, just as he promised you."

★ Deuteronomy 7:24

"He will deliver kings into your control, and you are to wipe out the memory of them from under heaven. No one will be able to stand before you. You are to utterly destroy them."

* NOTE: The Church of God is the new Israel

- The Lord will defend the church as Long as we obey Him and do His will

* God desires that we should go out to preach the Word and bring the unsaved to Him

* NOTE: Whether you realize it or not, there is a battle before us (the Church of Christ)

* God has assured us of His presence as we advance in faith

* As we engage in the battle before us, we must always remember that the victory is to be accomplished by God Himself, not by any human effort/wisdom

* Our victory comes from God

→ Psalm 108:12-13

"Give us help against the enemy, because human help is useless. I will find strength in God, for he will trample on our foes."

* God always designs unusual strategies for battle

* The most offensive weapon that will destroy any type of enemy is praise & faith in God 

★Hebrews 11:30

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days."

* By faith you will conquer your enemies and overcome every hurdle in life

★ Joshua 5:1 - the Lord melted the heart of the enemies of the Children of God

* God has an appointed time to subdue our enemies

* God will never disappoint His Children

A Christian Home (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 15-09-2014

MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDlC/DMO Chapel

Central Business District,

Garki-Abuja, Nigeria

15th September, 2014

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Topic: A Christian Home

* Text: Genesis 2:22-25

* The intention of God at the beginning was for an alliance between one man and one woman

* God wants to give you a blissful home, but you must be ready to follow His original plan

* Companionship - this is the primary reason for instituting marriage

* Collaboration - If you must move your head, there must be collaboration with your 'neck'

* 1st Corinthians 12:14 → "For the body is not one member, but many"

* You need your wife/husband to function properly

* You cannot oust any member of your body and expect to function effectively

* You cannot look down on your spouse and expect to prosper

* Most times, what money cannot do, your wife can do

* There should be no Schism in the family.

* Note: God wants your home to be peaceful

* Make up your mind to promote peace & unity - work by the same rule, be in the same mind

→ Philippians 3:16 - "Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

* Give residence to Christ in your home and your marriage will be prosperous

Use Your Spiritual Gifts (Rev. David Kwamkur) 14-09-2014

MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Holy Communion Service

14th September, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur

* Topic: Use Your Spiritual Gifts

* Text: Romans 12:4-8

* Note: One person is not a 'Church'

* The Church is a corporate entity made up of Separate individuals

* Everybody is expected to utilize his/her gifts in order to edify the body

* There is no single believer without a spiritual gift...

* As a believer, you don't have to ask for spiritual gifts . . . They are freely invested in you by the Holy Spirit

* Your responsibility is to discover and utilize Your gifts

* Opportunities to serve the Church are good avenues to discover your spiritual gifts

 * It is not a Crime not to have the type of gift that someone else possesses

* Your spiritual gift is given to you based on what God has purposed you to do

* If you do not use your gift, the Church will suffer and God Will hold you responsible for that lapse

★ My Additional Thoughts:

→ When you refuse to utilize your God-given gifts and talents, God will one day hold you accountable

→ God will always raise other people to fill up the vaccum you created by failing to use your spiritual gifts for the advancement of God's kingdom on earth, the benefit of other believers, and the edification of the Church

* NOTE: You are important to God, but you are not indispensable

Knowing the Will of God (Engr. Markus Dye) 14-09-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1 - Garki, Abuja

14th September, 2014

SERMON

* Speaker: Engr. Markus Dye

* Topic: Prepared Giver

* Theme: Knowing the Will of God

* Excelling in the Grace of Giving

* Service Leader: Mrs. Lois Dakum

* Text: 1st Corinthians 16:2 "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made."

* 2nd Corinthians 9:4-5

* If you are not prepared, you will be caught Unaware

* Preparation entails getting ready for something

* Preparation is also part of Planning - preparation is a critical element of Success

* John 14:1-2- Jesus himself went to prepare a place for us in heaven

* Jesus gave himself first before requiring us to give

* To get to Heaven, you must prepare yourself

* Preparation is setting aside time to do something or to perfect an objective/goal

* Preparation positions you to maximize opportunities that come your way

* Who is a giver? - God Himself is a giver. He demonstrated His love to us by giving us His Son

* You cannot give what you do not have

* You must prepare yourself to receive what God has prepared for you to get

* When you receive the free gift of God, you are in a better position to give

* A prepared giver is one who gives thankfully

* Before your giving is acceptable to God, you must:

(a) be submissive to God's authority

(b) give cheerfully

* Prepare or decide in advance what you want to give

* You must not appear before God empty handed- prepare before you appear

* You must, as a Child of God yield to the call to give for the expansion of the kingdom of God here on earth

***********************

Knowing the Will of God (Elder John Ayuba) 07-09-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE

MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria
7th September, 2014

SERMON

* Speaker: Elder John Ayuba

*Topic: A Humbled Giver

* Text: 1st Corinthians 2:9-14

* Theme: Knowing the Will of God

* Sub-Theme: Excelling in the Grace of Giving

* Service Leader: Elder Titus Golar

* Humble means "without pride or arrogance"

* A brief on the "Knight Templers":

- When they were baptized, they were immersed in water but their swords were held above the water, signifying that they are 'submitted' to the Lord, but not with their sword. This is a classic case of 'partial/conditional submission.'

- Just like the Knight Templars, many people today are baptized as Christians, but they still hold their jobs, wallets, wives, cars etc. out of the 'water' of total submission to the Lord

* When you want to come to God in humility, do not measure yourself with other men

* When you measure your achievements in the light of God's mercy that had been extended to you, you have no choice but to be humble.  

* Pride comes from the spirit of arrogance and self-deception

* Refusal to obey lawfully constituted authority is a sign of pride, especially when you have more qualifications or achievements than those occupying positions of authority

* When you measure yourself with God, you will realize that you are nothing

* When you realise that God is your Source, you have no option but to be humble

* Once you hear God's voice, you must be humble

* God's projects supersedes yours

* Psalm 37:4 - "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

* Once you delight yourself in the Lord, and you make your desire His own desire, He will fulfil that desire - because it is His own desire

*  Note: Mary Magdalene gave the Lord her best gift - (precious oil of Nard) and wiped it with her hair which is her glory

(Matthew 26:6-7)

* You need to understand God in order to know How to give Him the best glory possible

Shout! The walls of Jericho are Coming down (Pastor Goodheart O. Ekwueme) 31-08-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ HOUSE ON THE ROCK, (City of Refuge)
Airport Road, Abuja - Nigeria
31st August, 2014

 

* Psalm 22:28-29

 

* God uses the vehicle of His Word to bring about transformation in the lives of Men

 

SERMON
* Speaker: Pastor Goodheart O. Ekwueme
* Topic: Shout! The walls of Jericho are Coming down
* Text: Joshua 6:1-16, 20

 

* NOTE: The book of Joshua is a transitory book - it anchors the Pentateuch (five books of Moses) and the Prophets

 

* Joshua Himself was a transitory leader, charged with the responsibility to take the nation of Israel to the promised land

 

* Regardless of what happens, God always leaves a remnant for himself

 

* The remnant are always in the 'minority' but they are the ones who walk in, and live prophesy

 

* Today, the Church is experiencing a major transition into what God expects of it

 

* Note the 4 Stages Of Metamorphosis of the Caterpillar
 → The beauty of the butterfly speaks of glory, but it had to undergo a gradual process of transformation

 

★ Psalm 85:11 →"Truth sprouts up from the ground, while righteousness looks down from the sky."

 

* This is a season of Spiritual Sensitivity

- You cannot afford to be careless with your walk with God

 

* It is better for a person to be prepared waiting for an opportunity, than to be faced with an opportunity you are not prepared for

 

* The only difference between the 5 wise virgins and the 5 foolish virgins is preparation
→ Matthew 25:1-13

 

* When preparation meets opportunity, success is inevitable

 

* Preparation is critical to success

 

* The victory of lsreal was possible because they saw the land of Jericho through the eyes of the Lord and they were prepared to inherit it by faith

 

* Never look at your challenges through the eyes of your giants. This will only get you intimidated & discouraged
→ Numbers 13:25-33
→ Deuteronomy 1:28

 

★ Joshua 5:12 →"The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land. Since the Israelis no longer received manna, they ate crops from the land of Canaan that year."

 

* "The manna ceased": Manna Represents what God does all by Himself. They began to eat of the fruit of their labour

 

* You don't eat corn by praying or fasting only

 

* There are things in which God expects your input through:
(a) Participation
(b) Obedience
(c) Wisdom
(d) Hardwork
(e) Involvement
(f) Brutal faith

 

* Note: When God multiplied bread, He gave the disciples to share: He wanted them to be "involved" in the process
 →Matthew 14:15-21

 

* There are results that are gotten only through your own involvement and effort in obedience to God's words

 

* Joshua 1:1-1 ("Moses my Servant is dead")

- The methods of Moses could not bring Joshua into the promised land
- He needed a new strategy

 

* Note: Money is the lowest rank of wealth.
- there are things that Money cannot buy

 

* You must be willing to change.
- Those who are not willing to change or metamophosize, die is the "wilderness"

 

* The enemy knows that if you ever succeed to pull down your 1st major enemy (Jericho), the rest is history
- Satan will do all he can in order to discourage you from reaching your goal

 

* The enemy has done what he did because he is afraid of God's hand over your life

 

* What you are going through is a tip-off (an indication) of what God has deposited in you

 

*Warfare is good because victory is guaranteed at the end

 

* Christ & I are a winning Couple!

 

★ Joshua 6:2 →"The LORD told Joshua, “Look! I have given Jericho over to your control, along with its kings and valiant soldiers."

 

* God challenged/required Joshua to "see" What He had done

 

* God is not 'about' to give you; He has 'already' given you Victory.

 

* What you "see" is what you enter into

 

* "Jericho" is something that requires you to stick closely to divine instructions if you are to achieve victory

 

* NOTE: The people of Israel did not hear God directly, but they believed Joshua His servant

 

* God's instructions would always come to pass

 

* You must be willing to obey seemingly foolish instructions by faith

 

* The presence of God must take a centrality in all that you do

 

* You must have a hunger for God's presence

 

* What keeps you alive and victorious is hearing & heeding God's voice

 

* When you hear God, the world will hear you

 

* Joshua 6:10 →"Joshua issued orders to the army: “You are not to shout or even let your voice be heard. Don’t utter a word until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”

 

* There is a place for silence and stillness in the battle of faith

 

* Shouting is an expression of faith

 

* Shouting is usually connected to praise

 

* Praise will silence your enemy

 

* NOTE: (Joshua 6:15-16)
- The shout was not because the walls have come down. It was an expression of faith in what God was about to do for them

 

* Learn to praise God in advance for the fulfilment of His promises in your life

 

* The shout was to cause the wall of Jericho to come down

 

* With each level of obedience on the part of Joshua and the army of Israel, there was a deployment of angels to assist them

 

* It was their obedience to divine instructions that caused the walls to come down

 

* Through praise, you place the battles (of your life) into the hands of God

Why Prayers are not Answered (Evangelist Tobias) 20-08-2014

MY SERMON NOTES

* This Sermon was delivered by a Freelance Preacher in a Commercial Bus en-route Owerri to Enugu, Nigeria. (and YES, I took notes in the bus!)

* Preacher: Evangelist Tobias (Peace Park Owerri)

* Topic: Why Prayers are not Answered

* Date: 28th August, 2014

→ Prayer is the avenue of converting God's promises to reality
* Matthew 7:7 - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
* John 14:14 - "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
- Any prayer made outside the name of Jesus will not be answered. Such a prayer is incomplete

1. Sin
- Sin is a destroyer
* Isaiah 59:1-2 - "Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."

- Sin puts God off
- If you really want God to intervene in your case, you must avoid and hate sin
- Anything that is wrong in God's sight is sin

2. Unbelief (Lack of faith)
* Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

* Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

* Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
 
- Unbelief and doubt affects your prayer
- we please God through faith

* Daniel 3 (the 3 young Jewish men trusted God even in the face of danger)
- Faith provokes God to action
- Don't allow the enemy to have the final say
- When your faith is alive, you don't have to struggle in prayers

3. Un-forgiveness
- Until you live in the realm of forgiveness you are not yet a mature Christian
* 3 people you must forgive
(a) God (some people blame God for the unfavourable circumstances they had experienced in life)
(b) Yourself
(c) Others

* Bitterness is a tool used by the devil to frustrate your life
 
* Matthew 18:21 - "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times"

* In other words, you don't have any reason to retaliate until you are wronged 490 times by the same person!

* It is not biblical to pray for your enemies to die

* Mark 11:25 - "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

* Mathew 6:9-13 → Jesus taught his disciples to forgive

4. Matrimonial disputes
* Genesis 1: 24
- God places premium On matrimonial unity
* Ephesians 5:22-25
- The devil uses disharmony among couples to hinder their prayers
* 1st Peter 3:7 - "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."
- Many men don't know how to give honour unto their wives

5. Praying without the word of God
- Everything you need is already in God's word
- You have a duty to research and find out the Scriptures that is in line wits your desire
* 2nd Tim 2:15 - "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  
* Put God in remembrance as you pray.  
* Isaiah 43:26 - "Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right."

6. Praying according to the will of God
- When you do not pray in accordance with God's will, You will not receive any answer
*1 John 5:14 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."

7. Not praying in the Holy Ghost
* Jude 1:20 - "But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,"  

A Sacrificial Giver (Rev. John Chrysanthus Bala) 17-08-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

17th August, 2014 (My Birthday!)

* Rev. John Chrysanthus Bala

* Topic: A Sacrificial Giver

* Mark 12:41-44

* The woman in This passage was disadvantaged by her situation in life: She was a widow and she was poor

* Jesus took notice of every person's giving in the Temple

* Jesus looks at our hearts & He observes the principle we act upon when giving (whether cheerfully or grudgingly)

* Sacrificial giving is the kind of giving that shows you love God

* When you love someone, no gift (for the loved one) is too much; You would always want to go the extra mile

* Sacrificial giving is a giving that honours God, and it is commiserate with your income

* God always recognizes sacrificial giving & rewards it

* God gave us His son, what can we give Him? What do you have that you think is too much to be given to God?

* Some greedy people hide themselves behind the common expression: "widows' mite" so that they do not give sacrificially

* The value of your offering to God depends on what is left after you have made that offering

* NOTE: There is no where in the Bible where we are commanded to give as this poor widow; but your giving must be such that honours God

* When you trust God in the area of sacrificial giving, He will "embarrass" you with His blessings

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?