Like Newborn Babies (Rev. John Lohor) 18-01-2015

SUNDAY SERVICE
MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
18th January, 2015

★ SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. John Lohor

* Topic: Like New-born Babies

* Text: 1st Peter 2:1-3

* Theme: Growing up in Christ

* Sub-Theme: Intentional Growth

* Service Leader: Miss. Alheri Mutashi

* 1st Peter 2:1-3

"Therefore, rid yourselves of every kind of evil and deception, hypocrisy, jealousy, and every kind of slander. Like new-born babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation. Surely you have tasted that the Lord is good!"

* Peter wrote this epistle out of concern for the Christians who have refused to grow in Christ regardless of the fact that they have been Christians for a long time

* If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are expected to grow - there must be a positive change

* There are evil/ungodly virtues that must not be found in your life as a Christian

* Your life and character must undergo positive (godly) transformation as you grow in Christ

* When you come to Christ, you are expected to conform to His character and image. Your Christ-likeness must be evident to everyone around you

* When you give your life to Christ, you have to learn and take positive steps to be mature. This entails making deliberate effort

* The first step to spiritual maturity is taking the 'milk' of the Word of God

* The "milk" has to be pure, not diluted

* Mental growth is more difficult than physical growth

 - whatever you feed your mind on becomes a part of you. For instance, If You feed Your mind on sexually explicit materials, you are likely to manifest such in your life unconsciously

* As a Christian, It is very important to always study the Word of God. Take advantage of the availability of Bibles, and the various avenues to study God's Word.

→ NOTE: In some counties, it is a crime to even be in possession of the copy of a Bible!

* The basic ingredient you require for a balanced spiritual growth is the Word of God

* You must deliberately make time to study God's Word regardless of your tight schedules and diverse commitments

* If you do not study the Word of God, how can you grow?

* Joshua 1:8

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

*You must not only desire to 'ingest' God's Word at every opportunity, you must be crave for it with absolute passion

★ Additional Notes from Mr. Badung Gyang☆☆

* Milk Satisfies the hunger of a baby, nothing else would do

* Milk has all the nutrients that a baby requires for growth

* Milk contains the essential ingredients to protect the child from sickness

* Milk does not need any additive or it would be adulterated. The word does not need any addition or supplement

★ MISSION CHARGE

"There is a difference between interests and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results . . . Lack of decisiveness has caused more failures than lack of intelligence or ability. "

- John Mason

★ QUOTE

"Character is something you either have or not. It is the real foundation of all worthwhile Success. A good question to ask Yourself is: 'what kind of world would be if everybody were just like me?' You are Simply a book telling the world about its author . . . Never be ashamed of doing, you need not choose evil; but only to fail to choose good."

- John Mason

Growth is not Automatic (Rev. Chrysanthus B. John) 11-01-2015

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki - Abuja
11th January, 2015

★SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. Chrysanthus B. John

* Topic: Growth is not Automatic

* Text: Mark 4:26-29

* Theme: Growing up in Christ (Ephesians 4:14)

* Sub-Theme: Intentional Growth

* Service Leader: Mr. Mark Chollom

* "Growth" means a process of growing, development, increase & maturity

* "Automatic" means a process that takes place "without human control or intervention"

* The first stage in the growth process of a seed is germination.

- The 'seed' that is planted in the hearts of men is the Word of God

- The 'farmer' is the evangelist (and through evangelism of the Gospel of Christ, "seeds" are planted)

* The farmer does not know how the seed grows from the moment it was planted, till it is mature for harvest. This is the law of nature. So as it is with crops, so also is it with every person

* God expects that the seed(s) of the Gospel that is planted in your heart will germinate, mature and become ripe for harvest

* You have to undergo a systemic process before you attain the level of spiritual maturity. It does not occur immediately or within a day.

* Spiritual growth is an intentional process that is activated and maintained by a personal choice to be surrendered to God; to know & obey His word and to serve Him faithfully

* The process of becoming like Christ starts with a decision

* It takes a lot of changes to ensure growth

* Things to help you grow spiritually:

(a) Prayer (and fasting)

(b) studying God's Word; and

(c) Fellowship with other believers

* Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between you and the Holy Spirit

* The commitment you choose to make in life shapes your life

* You become what you are committed to

* 1st Corinthians 13:11

" When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways."

* Christians should grow up, and stop thinking or doing things like children

* God expects every Christian to attain spiritual maturity and become like Christ

 ★ SEE: Romans 8:29 → "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that the Son might be the firstborn among many brothers."

* God has made all necessary provision to ensure that you grow up and become spiritually mature

 ★ SEE: 2 Peter 1:3 → "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence."

* If you deliberately refuse to grow, you will be cut off from God's eternal inheritance when the 'harvest' comes

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

EXHORTATION DURING HOLY COMMUNION

* Rev. David Kwamkur

★ Romans 6:13-14

"Stop offering the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness. Instead, offer yourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life and the parts of your body as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin will not have mastery over you, because you are not under Law but under grace."

* As long as you are living in sin, You cannot grow in Christ

* Christians are susceptible to temptations, but living in sin is the personal choice of each individual

★ Galatians 5:25 → "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

* Christians that desire Spiritual maturity must eschew drunkenness and other vices

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

* God expects you as a Christian to behave decently in all circumstances

* Instead of being drunk with alchohol, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit

★ Romans 13:13-14

"Let’s behave decently, as people who live in the light of day. No wild parties, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, quarreling, or jealousy! Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and do not obey your flesh and its desires."

"Growing up in Christ" - (Rev. David Kwamkur) 04-01-2015

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
4th January, 2015

★ SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur

* Topic: Introduction of Theme for 2015 "Growing up in Christ" (Ephesians 4:14)

* Text: Jeremiah 17:7-8 → "Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD, making the LORD his trust. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by a stream. He won’t fear when the heat comes, and his leaves will be green. In a year of drought he won’t be concerned, nor will he stop producing fruit.”

* Ephesians 4:15 → "Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah."

* Christianity in Africa is like Africa itself - it is very wide, but very Shallow. The same situation is reflective of Christianity in Nigeria

* Questions that we must ask Ourselves:

→ Why is it that there are no developed Counties on the African continent?

→ Did God create Africa to remain 'undeveloped' or 'developing'?

→ For how long will Nigeria remain a 'developing' Country?

→ What have we been doing as a nation that has caused us to stagnate on the level of underdevelopment?

→ What can we do differently as a nation to enable us move from the status of "developing" to "developed"?

→ Is Nigeria too comfortable to develop?

→ Who is not telling the truth: the leaders or the masses?

* The Definition(s) of Growth:

1. Growth entails the process of adding value to your life or to something

2. to Increase in size or quality

3. to begin to do something

4. to improve on something

5. to develop emotionally, spiritually or mentally

* Two types of Growth:

   (a) positive growth

   (b) negative growth

* Growing in Christ is the desired positive growth. Anything outside Christ is like a cancerous growth that eventually leads to death

* Every negative growth in the body kills its host, if it is not removed in time

* 10 Facts about Growth:

1. Nobody is born an adult - (both Physically and spiritually)

- At birth, every living thing starts off as an infant

2. Every one can grow

- Growth is not limited to a few people

- Every living thing has the natural potential to grow

3. The right time to grow is now

- When you fail to do what is required of you, your growth process would be stunted

4. To grow is not easy

- It involves discipline and numerous sacrifices

5. Growth is not accidental

- Growth is purely a deliberately planned and strategic process

6. Babies are immature but they are expected to grow eventually

7. Healthy things grow

- Sicknesses hinder the normal process of growth

8. There is no short-cut to growth

- there is nothing like an "instant growth"

- Growth is a process which must be allowed to take its course

9. We were born babies so that we can grow into maturity

10. Growth is always needed

- Regardless of the level you are presently, there is always room for improvement

* 7 Steps to (Spiritual) Growth

1. Have a desire to grow

- Growth depends on you

- For you to grow, you must be dissatisfied wits being a "baby Christian"

2. You must keep your desire to grow alive

3. Always see the need for growth in your life

4. Eat spiritual balanced diet (God's Word) regularly

★ Matthew 4:4 → “It is written, ‘One must not live on bread alone, but on every word coming out of the mouth of God.”

★ Joshua 1:8 → "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."

★ Acts 17:10-11 → " That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so."

5. Exercise and practice your faith

- Failure to exercise your faith will cause it to become weak and ineffective

6. Be patient

★ James 1:4 → " But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

* Growth is a tedious process that takes time

7. Don't be discouraged

★ Joshua 1:6-7 → "Be strong and courageous, because you’ll be leading this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you—turn neither to the right nor to the left from it—so that you may succeed wherever you go."

* You need courage to be able to grow

* NOTE:

- Genesis 1:28-29

- When you became born again, you were given seeds, not fruits

- You must maintain a right spiritual balance in order for the 'seeds' to grow into 'fruits'

- You were born to blossom & boom

- Spiritual growth is optional. It purely depends on your personal Choice

* Quotes & bits During the Service (Pastor Victor Amos):

→ "When you take God seriously this year, you will see the difference"

→ "Responsible people always do the right thing at the right time"

The Great Past and the Great Future (Rev. David Kwamkur) 01-01-2015

2015 NEW YEAR SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki - Abuja
1st January, 2015

★ SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur

* Topic: The Great Past and the Great Future

* Theme for 2015: Growing up in Christ (Ephesians 4:14)

* Service Leader: Pastor Victor Amos

* Text: Ecclesiastes 7:8 "The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude is more valuable than a proud one."

★ Philippians 3:12-21

* The future, the present and the past are inter-connected to each other

* You cannot talk about the future without making reference to the past

* You must not forget about the past if you really want to walk into the future with boldness, that is why the work of historians is important

* History keeps repeating itself every time. There is nothing new under the sun

★ Ecclesiastes 1:9

" Whatever has happened, will happen again; whatever has been done, will be done again. There is nothing new on earth."

* Businessmen usually make reference to the past in order to get vital information that would be useful in making future business decisions. You Should learn from this.

 

* Information is vital to the success of any venture in life.

 

* You will need credible information if you intend to venture into an unknown territory

* Question: How did you end 2014?

* How you ended the last year would give you an idea of how the coming year might turn out to be

* NOTE: Faith does not deny the reality of things. What is the current reality of your life?

* You might have ended 2014 on a wrong note, but you still have the opportunity to make amends now before it is too late

 

* When Apostle Paul took inventory of His life, he realized that he had not yet arrived his destination (of knowing Christ intimately), that is why he said: " It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah Jesus" → Philippians 3:12

* The primary work of every Christian is to do the will of God. Your (secular) job is secondary to that primary work/calling.

* NOTE: there is a major distinction between "work" and "job"

* Your (secular) job should not hinder you from fulfilling God's primary purpose for your life. If it is, then you need to reconsider.

* NOTE: God will not Judge you based on the success recorded in your secular job, but on whether (or not) you fulfilled your primary purpose/calling in life

* Question: Did you do what God asked you to do in 2014?

☆ 3 Things to do with the Past:

1. You need to look at the past.

* This requires careful and honest evaluation of your past experiences - both good and bad

* If you do not look at (honestly confront & evaluate) your past, there is a tendency to erroneously think that you have "arrived" at your destination or fulfilled your divine purpose in life

2. You must learn from your past

- The historical accounts of the Bible were written so that we can learn from them today

★ 1st Corinthians 10:11 - "These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained."

* Keep records of the past because the past is not yet past!

* You need to learn from your past experiences and make necessary adjustments accordingly

* Failure to learn from the past is a sign of foolishness

* Don't keep doing the same thing over and over again that is not producing positive results

* Look for information; get to know more about what you are doing and how you can do it better in the new year

 

3. Leave the past behind

- Though there are things to learn from it, you are not supposed to carry the past into the future

* Many people today live on past glory (of spiritual achievements and service to Christ)

* NOTE: You cannot walk forward if you keep looking backwards

* Sometimes we carry our past mistakes into our future and they constitute obstacles on our way to moving forward

* NOTE: It is not possible to wind back the hands of time to correct the mistakes of the past. leave them behind you

★ Philippians 3:13b → "But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead"

☆ 3 things to do with the future:

1. Plan for a good future.

* Evil things grow on their own, while good things are a product of careful planning and preparation

2. Move into the future with Courage

* Do not give room for fear in your life

* Fear cripples and hinders you from becoming who God wants you to be.

3. Do Something Great for God

* Doing great things requires great faith in God

* The surest way to please God is to consistently walk in faith (Hebrews 11:6 → "Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.")

 

* Attempt something great for God this year

★ SUMMARY

☆ 3 Things to do with the Past:

1. Look at the past

2. Learn from your past

3. Leave the past behind

☆ 3 things to do with the future:

1. Plan for a good future

2. Move into the future with courage

3. Do something great for God

5 Keys to a Happy New Year (Rev. Tongsmang T. Dasbak) 28-12-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Jesus Revelation Assembly (JRA)
Tudun-Wada Ring Road,
Jos, Plateau State
28th December, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. Tongsmang T. Dasbak

* Topic: 5 Keys to a Happy New Year

* Text: Philippians 3:12-16

→ INTRODUCTION

- In Philippians Chapter 3, Paul used the power of imagery and illustration to portray himself as three (3) different persons:

(a) In Philippians 3:1-11, Paul portrays himself as an Accountant.

- Key words: "I have new values"

- If you do not have any godly values, you have nothing to live for

(b) In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul portrays himself as an Athlete

- Key words: "I press towards the goal"

- In other words, Paul is saying "I have a new vigour"

- Without the discipline and the vigour of an athlete, you cannot pursue your values in order to attain your goals

(c) In Philippians 3:17-21, Paul portrays Himself as an Alien

→ Key words: "I look"

- This world has everything that you need to become what God wants you to become, but you have to look for them diligently

- If you do not look, you will not discover

☆The 5 Keys to a Happy New Year

★ Key #1: Dissatisfaction

→ Philippians 3:12-13

"It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."

- Paul was satisfied with Jesus as his Lord, but he was dissatisfied with his life & achievements

- You must be careful of entertaining a false estimate of your own spiritual condition

- When you become satisfied with your present condition, you will not grow

- If you want more out of life, You must be dissatisfied with your present condition

- Whatever you are doing, try to be the best that you can possibly be

- Stop comparing Yourself with others

- Do whatever you can to improve your lot in life

- Regardless of what you have achieved so far, there is always room for further improvement and growth

★Key #2: Devotion

→ Philippians 3:14

"I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus."

- You need to have a definite Focus for your life

- Your focus must be defined

- You must be determined to avoid anything that may distract you from your goal(s) is life

- Set time aside everyday to prayerfully evaluate your life's purpose

- If you aim at nothing, you will achieve nothing

- You need to persist and focus on your goals

★ Key #3: Direction

→ Philippians 3: 13b

"But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead."

- In order to forge ahead in life, there are some past experiences that you must forget

- Do not allow yourself to be controlled by your past experiences of failure, discouragements, betrayals, weaknesses and rejection

- Do not be weighed down or discouraged by the many times you have failed at achieving your goals

- Have a genuine direction for your life

- "Do not cry over spilled milk" - if you fail at succeeding at something, ensure that you recover as fast as you can and try again

- There is a greater future ahead of you than your past (unpleasant) experiences

★ Key #4: Determination

→ Philippians 3:14:

"I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus."

- The two (2) extremes you must avoid in life while pursuing your goals include the misconceptions that:

(a) "God must do all"

(b) "I must do all"

- You must not achieve all that you have set out to achieve all at once

- Aim at 'winning' small territories at a time, gradually

- Use the resources at your disposal to do the best you can possibly do

- You don't have to be a 'great person' to make it in life.

- You must realise that greatness is in categories and levels. Do not despise the days of little (small) beginnings

- Don't be jealous of anybody, but work hard on your goals

- Be satisfied with what God is about to do in your life

★ Key #5: Discipline

→ Philippians 3:14-15

"I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus. Therefore, those of us who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will show you how to think."

- Without discipline, an athlete can be disqualified from a sporting event

- You can learn from others, but don't argue with them

- If you want to be great, you must make friends with great people and seek great ideas

- Work gradually towards getting to where you want to be and God will Surely bless you

- You must be consistently diligent and disciplined at maintaining focus on your life's goals

- Without the discipline of diligence, it would be impossible to achieve anything meaningful in your life

- Discipline will enable you to overcome any weakness that may potentially hinder you from reaching your goals in the coming year(s)

SUMMARY

☆The 5 Keys to a Happy New Year

★Key #1: Dissatisfaction

★Key #2: Devotion

★Key #3: Direction

★Key #4: Determination

★Key #5: Discipline

Good Tidings of Salvation (Rev. Chrysanthus John Bala) 25-12-2014

CHRISTMAS SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja
25th December, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. Chrysanthus John Bala

* Topic: Good Tidings of Salvation

* Text: Luke 2:8-14 

* In Biblical times, Shepherds were considered to be unclean due to the nature of their profession & interaction with animals.

* God chose to herald the first message of the birth of Christ to lowly shepherds who were isolated on fields while guarding their flock at night

* The reason why the Christmas message was first broadcasted to Shepherds

1. They were poor. God does not discriminate between the rich and the poor

2. Jesus came through the lineage of David who was also a Shepherd before He was anointed as King of Israel. His birth was Symbolic and a fulfilment of Biblical prophesies 

* What is your perception of Jesus Christ?

- to some people, He is their Saviour, to others, He is just a "good man".

* If Jesus is not your Saviour, Christmas has no relevance for you

* Even today, many people reject the Salvation that Jesus came to offer freely

* The primary reason for Jesus' birth was for the Salvation of all men. Including you.

* Question: Who is Jesus to you?

* As a Christian, You have a duty to tell others about the good tidings of the Saviour and the Salvation He offers. 

* You must always use every opportunity to speak to others of the love of Jesus and the free gift of this Salvation

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

* Quotes & Bits During Service:

→ "When you celebrate Christmas in a God-glorifying way, the power of Satan over your life is paralyzed. But when you celebrate it with sex, alcohol, and other forms of ungodliness, Satan is empowered." 

- Rev. David Kwamkur. 

Redemption as one of the Blessings of Doing the will of God (Pastor Victor Amos) 21-12-2014

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki-Abuja

21st December, 2014

* Speaker: Pastor Victor Amos

* Topic: Redemption as one of the Blessings of Doing the will of God

* Theme for 2014: Knowing the will of God (Colossians 1:9)

* Text: Ephesians 1:3-7

* Redemption is the basis of our lives as Christians

* We are Christians today because we have been redeemed by Christ

* Redemption cannot be separated from the Cross of Christ; without to Cross of Christ, there will be no Gospel; without the Gospel, there is no Christianity

* No man can say "I am free from sin" - we were all born into the sinful nature; the sin of Adam has contaminated all of us from birth

★Romans 3:23 → "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

* Sin separated man from God.

* God does not take sin lightly. Whenever God looks at man (pre-redemption), he sees a sinful entity

* Christ was offered up as an atonement for our sins in order to redeem us

* Redemption is salvation from sin

* "Redemption" may be defined as: "rescue (something or someone) upon the payment of a ransom".

* Redemption entails "buying back" what originally belonged to you; or what you are entitled to, subject to payment of a ransom

* The Biblical concept of Redemption: The firstborn child or an animal belongs to the Lord: To retain it, you must "buy it back" through an act of redemption.

★ Exodus 13:2 → " Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."

★ Exodus 34:19-20 → “Everything firstborn belongs to me: all the males of your herds, the firstborn of both cattle and sheep. You are to redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a sheep, and if you don’t redeem it, you are to break its neck. You are to redeem every firstborn of your sons, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed."

* The stories of our lives changed when Christ went to the cross and paid the ransom for us with His blood in order to translate us from darkness into light.

8 Benefits of Redemption

1. We were translated from darkness into light

★ Colossians 1:13 → "God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom he loves"

★ See also: Ephesians 5:8 and 1 Peter 2:9

2. You have eternal life in Christ.

3. You have forgiveness of Sins

4. Righteousness

- You have the Spirit of God to help you live right.

5. Adoption into God's family

- Redemption makes it possible for you to be adopted into God's family

- If you have not been redeemed, you cannot claim to a part of God's family

6. Deliverance from Sin

★ Titus 2:14 → "He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to cleanse us so that we could be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good deeds."

- Sin places you under the bondage of Satan. The atonement of Christ on the Cross of Calvary makes it possible to be delivered/liberated from the power of sin

7. Peace with God:

- When you were in sin, you were an enemy of God

- If you have no relationship with Christ, you have no peace

8. The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

★1 Cor 6:19-20 → " You know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God, don’t you? You do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought for a price. Therefore, glorify God with your bodies."

- The Holy Spirit helps you to live a life that is pleasing to God

* NOTE: Those who have been redeemed must live differently from those who are still living in darkness

* At this Christmas Season, the redeemed in Christ will not do anything in the course of the celebrations that will grieve the Holy Spirit

* The freedom of the redeemed is not for his/her own benefit, but it is to be utilized to serve and glorify the Redeemer!

Do not give or take Bribes (Pastor Gyang Chollom Sambo) 14-12-2014

 

MY SERMON NOTES
Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Kugbo, Nyanya - Abuja

14th December, 2014

* SERMON

* Topic: Do not give or take Bribes

* Theme: Knowing the Will of God

* Sub-theme: Knowing the will of God in Giving

* Speaker: Pastor Gyang Chollom Sambo

 

Pastor Gyang Chollom Sambo

 

 

* Text: Ecclesiastes 7:7 - "Unjust gain makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart''.

* A bribe is anything given (or taken) in order to obtain or bestow unjust advantage in any given circumstance

* A bribe is a gift that is given in a corrupt way

★ Exodus 23:8 - "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent."

* A bribe makes people blind - such a person cannot see what he/she ought to see. It paralyzes a person's will from taking due action

* Reasons why people give bribes:

1. To corrupt the morality and the will of persons in authority

2. To obtain an unjust advantage or favour

3. To turn a truth into a lie

 

* The Bible condemns giving and receiving of bribes in any form whatever

* All bribes are evil, regardless of whether you give or receive it

★ Job 15:34 - "For the company of the godless is desolation, and fire consumes the tents of those who bribe"

* Many public officers are corrupt because many of them gained employment through bribery and therefore, they still discharge their official duties by demanding and accepting bribes

* Bribes have the capability to turn the right thing to become a wrong thing

* Sometimes as Christians, we find ourselves under pressure to give bribes in order to obtain some undue favour or advantage, but we must trust God to help us to honour Him under all circumstances

 

★ 1st Samuel 8:1-3 - "When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice."

* Even some religious leaders indulge in collecting bribes in order to twist justice among their followers

* God does not condone or support those who take or give bribes

* Child of God, trust God for every thing you need in life. There is nothing that God cannot do for you.

* Some of the things given as bribes:

(a) Money (or money's worth)

(b) Valuable things or materials

(c) Sexual favours

* NOTE: Anything you obtain through bribery or any corrupt practice does not have the blessings of God and is susceptible to the attacks of Satan (because it was obtained through his evil principles)

★ Psalm 26:9-10 - "Do not group me with sinners, nor include me with men who shed blood. Their hands are filled with wicked schemes, and their right hands with bribes."

* The giving and taking of bribes is actually a sign that you do not trust God to favour you, bless you or promote you

* The current security challenges prevalent in Nigeria is persisting because most of those who are charged with the responsibility of handling the situation have been "blinded" by bribes.

* A bribe separates a man from God

* God knows the heart of every man. Many people we know and call "Honourable" today in our society are actually considered by God as fools because they willingly engage in bribery and corruption

 

★ Isaiah 33:15-19 - "Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil— they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them. Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror. “Where is that chief officer? Where is the one who took the revenue?

Where is the officer in charge of the towers?” You will see those arrogant people no more, people whose speech is obscure, whose language is strange and incomprehensible."

 * Those who collect or give bribes are enemies of God regardless of whether they are Christians or not

★ Ezekiel 22:12 - "They take bribes among you to shed blood. You’ve taken usury and exacted interest. You’ve gained control over your neighbour through extortion. And you’ve forgotten me,” declares the Lord GOD"

* Whenever you take or give bribes, you show evidently by your conduct that you have forgotten that God is the ultimate way-maker, and that only He makes a way where there is no Way!

* You must not give or take bribes Just because every one is doing it.

★ Exodus 23:2 - "You are not to follow the majority in doing wrong, and you are not to testify in a lawsuit so as to follow the majority and pervert justice."

* If you are obedient to God, He will prosper You. If you choose to prosper yourself (through bribery and corruption), God will surely punish you

* NOTE: People who believe in collecting or giving bribes usually find it difficult to give freely and generously - without expecting anything in return

* When you do not take or give bribes, you are in a better position to make just and right decisions and maintain your integrity

* Action Point:
Make up your mind to consistently trust God for every single thing that you need in life. Refuse to obtain unjust gain or undue advantage by either giving bribes, collecting bribes or engaging in any other corrupt practice.

Knowing God's will in Christ Jesus (Rev. Festus S. Dashem) 07-12-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE

MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Jiyep-Hwolshe, Jos
Plateau State - Nigeria

7th December, 2014

SERMON

* Topic: Knowing God's will in Christ Jesus

* Theme: Knowing the will of God

* Speaker: Rev. Festus S. Dashem

* Text: Luke 2:1-14

* So many people do not know the true meaning of Christmas, even though they celebrate it every year

* The common expression "as weak as a baby" does not apply to Jesus Christ - He is God; He is the Centre of Power

* It was the Roman Government's tradition to conduct population census every 14 years.

* Bethlehem means "house of bread". Note: Jesus is the bread of life. → John 6:35 "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

- Therefore, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was symbolic.

* The announcement of the Messiah's birth was given by an angel to some anonymous Shepherds. Why shepherds, not Priests or Scribes?

* Reason: The Grace of God was revealed to all men, regardless of status or position.

→ Romans 2:11 - "For there is no partiality with God."

* Their work (as shepherds) made them ceremonially unclean, and kept them away from the temple for weeks, so they could not be made clean

* God does not only call the rich and mighty, but also the poor and lowly

* The shepherds were conscripted as heralds and evangelists of the Saviour's Coming

* The Massage of the Angels:

→ Verse 10: "fear not, we bring good news"

* As a Christian, you must not be afraid to preach the good news of Christ anywhere you go

 

* The Hebrew word "Shalom" means more than peace (absence of war), but total well-being, security, soundness and completeness of mind.

* NOTE: Outside Jesus, you cannot experience genuine peace/Shalom

* Shalom has more to do with character, more than circumstances

* At the time of difficulty for the Israelites (taxes were high, there was unemployment, and poverty) God Sent his Son to usher in a reign of lasting peace

* During the period of Jesus' birth, High Priests and Priesthood was controversial for the following reasons:

→ No person/worshiper could see the Priest except through his Captains;

→ A Priest must marry a virgin of not more than 12 Years old;

→ A Priest must not eat in public;

→ A Priest must not touch any woman except his wife;

→ The temple was segregated according to levels of Holiness. Only the High Priest can enter into the Holy of Holies once a year to offer atonement on behalf of the people;

→ A Priest must not come near a corpse

→ The crippled, lame, leper can not enter the temple for any reason

→ A Priest must wear 18 garments to heal 18 ailments

* Jesus Came to deliver people from the old order of things

* Jesus is the High priest that sets the captives free

* In Jesus Christ, Priesthood is no longer dependent on garments and the fulfilment of strict religious criteria, but by faith in Jesus Christ

* In Jesus, healing is a matter of faith, not of garments or religious ceremonies and rituals

* The mission of Jesus is to rescue all men from darkness and translate them to the light of God

* The coming of Jesus is absolute good news to all of us

* Question: is your life a source of good news to your family, office, colleagues, community, Church, etc.?

* You should live a life that portrays good news to the world

* If your life is not a source of good news, the solution is simple → Repent and accept Jesus Christ the Messiah as your Lord and Savior.