The Sacrificial Giving of a Disciple (The Sacrificial Giving of a Disciple) 24-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC),

Wuye - Abuja, Nigeria

First Service

24th January, 2016

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omaku

* Topic: The Sacrificial giving of a Disciple

* Theme for 2016: Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision

* Text: Malachi 3:8-12

 

★ Matthew 19:16-22

★ Matthew 16:24 →"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

★ Acts 4:32-37

★ Acts 2:44-45

* This life we are living in is far inferior compared to where we are going to [Heaven]

★ Matthew 6:19-21

* All your treasures should be stored in heaven, not on earth

* The main aim of a disciple is to please his/her master

* Being a disciple is not your end in itself; your body is not your end.

→ Heaven is your ultimate end!

 

* There is something in-built in a man that propels him to give to God

★ Genesis 8:22 → "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

→ When you give to God, you release a divine emotion

* You must get to the level of Abrahamic giving when the only thing that matters is total obedience to God

* Giving to God existed even before the Law

→ It is no longer fashionable not to give to God

* NOTE: The Law did not come through Moses, but through God

→ The Law has not and it will not pass away.

→ Many Christians use the excuse that they are in a dispensation of grace and not of law, therefore they will not give. This is wrong.

* Tithes, offering and first-fruits, are used to run the Church and expand the Kingdom of God on earth.

★ Matthew 5:17-18 → "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 

* Until Jesus comes, nothing in the law will be removed

* Jesus brought a more superior law

★ Matthew 23:23 → "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

* What you get is dependent on how much you give

* If you are still [stuck at the level of] giving tithes & offerings, you still lack one thing - total surrender

* NOTE: Jesus never mentioned tithes & offerings. He required that believers should give generously.

 

★ Luke 6:36 → "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

★ Acts 4:32-35

* The early Church lived selflessly and met the needs of all the believers

★ Acts 2:44-45

★ 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

* Today, many believers do not want to share their possessions with others that are in dire need.

 

* Until you give yourself totally to the Lord, you cannot give anything that is acceptable to God. (See: 2 Corinthians 8:5)

* Jesus did not come to earth with the lifestyle of heaven

* A man who is totally surrendered to God will not hesitate to give every thing when he is required to do so.

* The Disciples give everything when there is a need

* You must realise that your blessings are not all about you

* Many believers are distracted the moment then get some blessing from God

* You have to live a high life: Beyond tithes and offerings (which is the minimum)

* Everything that God gives you is in trust

* Until you give everything, you have not given at all

* Jesus expects you to give all because He knows the value of the exchange

* Another house or another car is not what you need. You need to live a sacrificial life and help people around you

* Prayer:

"Father, de-materialize and de-world me"

The all Sufficient God (2) (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 20-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Chapel,

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

20th January, 2016

* Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Topic: The all Sufficient God (2)

* Text: Psalm 90:12 →"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

* God is willing to teach you all that will benefit you

★ The reason why God will teach you:

→ He wants you to apply your heart unto wisdom

* Solomon asked for wisdom

★ Proverbs 4:7 → "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."

★ Joshua 3:4-7 →"Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee."

* God is willing and able to guide you

* You need to set yourself aside for the service of the Lord

★ Psalm 115:3 → "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him."

★ Psalm 115:12-18

* God does whatever He pleases.

→ He has the final say

* NOTE: God is mindful of you

 

* Psalm 90:12 → "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

* God is willing to teach you all that will benefit you

★ The reason why God will teach you:

→ He wants you to apply your heart unto wisdom

* Solomon asked for wisdom

★ Proverbs 4:7 → "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."

★ Joshua 3:4-7 →"Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee."

* God is willing and able to guide you

* You need to set yourself aside for the service of the Lord

★ Psalm 115:3 → "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him."

★ Psalm 115:12-18

* God does whatever He pleases.

→ He has the final say

* NOTE: God is mindful of you

Imitators of God (Barr. Joseph Ayiaka Embugushiki) 19-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Chapel,

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

19th January, 2016

IT STAFF FELLOWSHIP

* Speaker: Barr. Joseph Ayiaka Embugushiki

* Topic: Imitators of God

* Text: Ephesians 5:1-3

* Christ is our primary model

* There are many people that we want to imitate and there are those who want to imitate you

* Your calling as a Christian is to become like Christ in every aspect of your life

★ Acts 11:22-30

* The term 'Christian' came about as a result of the early Christians imitating Christ (Acts 11:19-26)

* As a believer, you must carry the 'brand' of Christ everywhere you go 

★ Philipians 4:8-9 → "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—keep thinking about these things. Likewise, keep practicing these things: what you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you."

* When the above listed virtues abound in your life, it will become evident to all that you are a child of God

★ Romans 8:15 → "For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

★ 1 John 3:10 → "This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God."

★ Ephesians 5:1 → "So be imitators of God, as his dear children."

* Every father wants to model his child into his own likeness

* There are things that only a father can do for a son/daughter

→ We have become children of God through adoption

★ John 8:44 → "You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has never stood for truth, since there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies."

* Becoming like Christ is critical to our faith as Christians

* Sin will always compromise your potential and capability to become like Christ

The All Sufficient God (1) (Pastor 'Lola Owotumi) 19-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Chapel,

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

19th January, 2016

Speaker: Pastor 'Lola Owotumi

* Topic: The All Sufficient God

* Text: Psalm 90:12 →"teach us to keep account of our days so we may develop inner wisdom."

* God will teach you because:

→ He is all-knowing

→ He is all sufficient

→ He loves you

→ He wants you to be victorious

* God is not selfish or self-centred and is willing to teach you

→ He will not hoard knowledge

★ Psalm 32:8 → "I will instruct you and teach you concerning the path you should walk; I will direct you with my eye."

★ Joshua 3:2-3 → "Three days later, the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people. They said, “When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then get up, leave where you are, and follow it."

* Many people covet God's blessings but they do not want to obey God's Word

* There is a special blessing reserved for those who obey God

* It is wisdom to obey God's commands

★ 2 Corinthians 2:16-17 → "To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this? At least we are not commercializing God’s word like so many others. Instead, we speak with sincerity in the Messiah’s name, like people who are sent from God and are accountable to God."

* God wants to guide you

→ don't depend on your strength

* Many people only do things that are convenient and regard those who do not do [similar things] it as sinners

* Your relationship with God must proceed out of sincerity

☆ Prayer:

→ Father, give me the grace to be dependent upon you

Jesus Believes in Prayer (Elder Yunana Malo) 17-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Area 1, Garki - Abuja

17th January, 2016 

 

☆ SERMON

* Speaker: Elder Yunana Malo

* Topic: Jesus Believes in Prayer

* Theme: Imitating Christ

* Sub-Theme: Imitating Christ in Prayer

* Service Leader: Elder Simon Bunshak

* Text: Matthew 21:18-22

★ 2 Chronicles 20:1-24

★ Matthew 6:5-13

* Prayer is the live-wire of every believer. It is the believer's primary source of spiritual strength

★ Genesis 2:17 →"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

* Sin caused the critical part of man that relates to God to die

→ Your communion with God is affected every time sin is present in your life

* If you do not have God's Spirit, you cannot communicate with Him

* Jesus came to restore the lost relationship between man and God through the shedding of his blood

★ 1 Peter 1:23 →"For you have been born again, not by a seed that perishes but by one that cannot perish—by the living and everlasting word of God."

★ Isaiah 59:1-3 →"See, the LORD’s hand is not too short to save, nor are his ears too dull to hear. Instead, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have concealed his face from you so that he won’t listen. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your tongue mutters wickedness."

* Sin hinders God from hearing your prayers

* Communication is very critical to our spiritual survival, welfare and warfare

→ You cannot afford to be cut off from your Central Command Centre as you engage in the battles and issues that life throws at you

* It is the nature of Jesus inside of you that energises you to pray in line with God's will

* In most cases, we do not listen to God's spirit

→ If you are sensitive in the Spirit, you will always sense His promptings to pray

* Laziness prevents believers from praying

* Through prayer, you are able to remove what is dirty in your life so that you are able to receive the nature of God

* Prayer enables us to have fellowship with God

* Whenever you encounter challenges on your way, always remember the promises of God

☆ Prayer entails:

(a) Asking (making petitions)

(b) Seeking (engaging God's word to find his will concerning an issue)

(c) Knocking (praying God's Word back to Him)

* You must remain consistent and persistent in prayer

* Jesus is our best model for prayer

* Jesus prayed:  

→ privately (Matthew 14:23)

→ publicly (Matthew 14:18-19)

→ all night (Matthew 14:23)

★ What is prayer?

"an address (as a petition) to God in Word or thought."

* NOTE: prayer does not only involve speaking words, but also thoughts.

→ That is why it is important to ensure your thoughts always glorify God;

→ Your thoughts are clear and echo powerfully in Heaven as your words!

 

★ Forms of Prayer:

1. Adoration (Psalm 144-150)

2. Confession (Psalm 51)

3. Thanksgiving (Psalm 75)

4. Conversation (Genesis 18:16-33)

* Christian prayer has been essentially been essentially petition in nature

* Your worries persist because you have not understood and unlocked the provisions of God through prayer

★ Benefits of Prayer

1. You recieve strenght

2. It builds your trust in God

→ It deepens your faith

3. You receive salvation

4. You obey God

5. You seek God's face

6. You recover all

7. You receive direction

8. Your character is transformed

9. You are able to overcome temptation

10. You recieive nourishment and encouragement

11. It prepares you for heaven

12. You receive ability to deal with situations

13. Deep secrets are revealed

14. Bondages, yokes, curses are broken

15. It transforms the weak into the strong

16. It restores the sick

17. It purges away your faults and guilt

18. It governs the rich

19. Upraises the fallen

20. It gives you access to God's presence

☆ Question:

→ Why are your prayers not heard by God?

* You must always ensure that you are connected to God so that your prayers will be heard

★ Romans 10:13 →''Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

* If the communication line between you and God is broken, you need to take deliberate steps to restore it today!

★ MISSION CHARGE

"I profess and claim to be by the grace of God a sound Christian and while there is breath in my body, I will speak forth and defend the law of it. I am ready to defend my convictions even unto death."

→ John Wycliffe

★ QUOTE

"Don't tiptoe into God's presence, trying to find the secret of attracting his attention. Just call home and say 'Hello father' and know that He loves you and loves to hear your voice. Pray."

→ Bill Hybels

Seek the Kingdom of God (Pastor Sarah Omaku) 10-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC),

Wuye - Abuja, Nigeria

First Service

10th January, 2016

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omakwu

* Topic: Seek the Kingdom of God

* Theme for 2016: Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision

* Text: Mathew 6:24-34

* If you are always thinking of what to eat, drink or wear, you are of little faith

* God wants you to disconnect your mind from the world

→ He wants you to follow Him

* The message of the Lord to all believers is for everyone to seek his kingdom

* Read: Matthew 5-7 [Sermon on the mount]

→ Jesus outlined how the Christian life should be

→ The sermon was directed at his disciples, not the multitudes

* Jesus emphasised severally that you should not worry about anything

(verse 25, 31, and 34)

* Worry is a sign that you do not trust God

* The resources of God are limitless

→ He is the fountainhead that does not dry up!

* Worry takes your focus away from God and redirects it to yourself

* Many parents care about their children more than God cares for them. This is not supposed to be so

→ NOTE: children do not have sleepless nights out of worry. Only adults do

* Worry is torment

* Many people think that if they stop worrying there is nothing else to do

* Effects of Worry:

→ causes you to lose your joy in Christ

→ It dampens your countenance

→ causes you to be sick

→ gives you sleepless nights

* Many of the things we worry about are the goals we have set for ourselves (not the things God really wants us to do)

* It is not possible to devote all your attention to seeking the things of the world and God at the same time with the same intensity

★ Psalm 37:25 →"I once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread."

★ Psalm 27:4 →"I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I really seek: that I may remain in the LORD’s Temple all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD; and to inquire in his Temple."

* You must set your priorities right

* You cannot be neck deep in pursuit of success and claim to be seeking God at the same time

* When you place other things first, you are:

→ driving God to jealousy

→ showing that you doubt God's love

→ doubting the ability of God to provide for you

→ showing where your heart really is

* NOTE: you are always on God's heart and he cares for you

* If you are not busy doing what is on God's heart, you have lost your purpose

* There are two Kingdoms that you must seek:

→ God's Kingdom on the earth and the one in Heaven

★ Matthew 6:28 →"And why do you worry about clothes? Consider the lilies in the field and how they grow. They don’t work or spin yarn, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all of his splendor was clothed like one of them. Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won’t he clothe you much better—you who have little faith?"

* Something must be wrong with your thinking if you suppose that God will beautify lilies and birds and overlook you

* NOTE: clothes, cars, money, houses, etc are supposed to support you - they are not the main assignment

* God has sent us to the earth for an assignment

→ You are not meant to make deals with the world

* If a soldier is in a war, it is not his responsibility to take care of himself.

→ The Government provides all the logistics he needs and pays him adequately

* Jesus examplifed seeking after God's kingdom

→ He should be your model

→ He was in the temple all the time

→ He communed with God all the time

→ His priority was God's kingdom

* You must put God first at all times

* Young people: this is the time to Know God

→ Your talent & passions must point people to Jesus if not, you are wasting your time

* You must make being in God's presence your priority everyday

* You must serve God

★ Matthew 5:13 (MSG) → "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've host your usefulness and will end up in the garbage."

* Your primary purpose is to display the beauty and the colours of God to the world

* Everything that you see is temporal

* NOTE:

→ you must love people,

→ you must do right and live right

→ you must help those that are in need

Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision (Pastor Sarah Omakwu) 03-01-2016

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Family Worship Centre (FWC),

Wuye - Abuja, Nigeria

First Service

3rd January, 2016

SERMON

* Speaker: Pastor Sarah Omaku

* Theme for 2016: Our Jesus, His Command, Our Vision

* Text: Colossians 3:1-14

★ Matthew 6:33 →"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

* It is important to start the year right

* If you get this message and obey it, you are guaranteed a good life on earth and a greater life in heaven

* Aim at seeking the eternal treasures by setting your mind on things above

* If you substitute your desires for having material possessions with the desire for having eternal treasures, your life will change for the better!

* You must ask yourself how these things that consume you now will affect you in the next 1,000 years

* What does it mean to 'set' something?

→ It means to position something immovable in one place

→ To put into a specific state

* If you set your mind on heaven, no matter what goes on around you, your mind is programed by heaven and nothing else matters

* When heaven is your thermostat, your desires, are conditioned by God's standards

* Setting your mind on heaven means that:

(a) you do not seek the accolades of the world

(b) you have positioned your mind on God's promises

★ John 4:34 →"Jesus told them, “My food is doing the will of the one who sent me and completing his work."

* NOTE: The worst thing in heaven is better than the classiest thing on earth

★ James 4:13-15 →"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town, stay there a year, conduct business, and make money.” You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you should say, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live—and do this or that.”

* No matter how long your life is, it cannot be compared with the lenght of eternity

→ Many people exhaust the whole of their lives on earth chasing vapor

* You must only mind and pursue things that are eternal

★ Hebrews 11:8-10 →" By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise, because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

* Abraham must have seen something that is still eluding many people on earth today

→ He lived life very light, with eternity in might

* If you live right on earth, you will be entitled to rewards in heaven

→ Not everyone in heaven will get the same rewards

* You must get to the point that the things of earth are not your primary motivation

* You cannot set your mind in two places at the same time

* Where you set your mind determines:

→ how you live

→ your priorities

→ how you spend your resources (time, money, intellect, etc)

★ 1 John 2:15 -17→'' Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God’s will remains forever."

* When your mind is set on heaven:

→ it is easy to forgive, be humble, to give, to be kind or help, etc.

→ loving everyone comes easily

→ you do not you struggle to acquire things on earth at all cost

→ sin will not be a problem

★ 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

* Love is the greatest and it is the lifestyle of heaven

* How you respond to the issues of life (good or bad) is determined by where your mind is set

* Your response in love to every situation is what gets you great rewards

* Seek every opportunity to be kind and loving

* You must purpose to do something good for someone everyday

* When any one ask you for help, do not turn them down if you have the capacity to help

* Ensure that your life is not controlled by temporal things

* NOTE: You cannot set your mind on heaven if you are not born again

★ Quotes:

* Fasting does not change God, it changes you

How to grow in Faith (7) (Pastor Ambrose Nwogu) 29-12-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ NDIC/DMO Chapel,

Central Business District,

Garki - Abuja

29th December, 2015

Speaker: Pastor Ambrose Nwogu

Topic: Prevailing by faith (How to grow in Faith) (7)

Text: John 7:48 →"Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?"

★ Romans 10:17 →"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

☆ Components of Effectively Hearing God's Word:

1. Listening

2. Agreement (assent)

→ The agreement must be a personal thing

* The word of God is something that you must believe personally.

→ Don't wait until someone in power or authority believes

3. Meditate on and Obey God's Word

→ It will be very difficult for a man to obey God's word if there is no meditation

→ Mediation entails thinking about something actively and deeply as it relates to you

★ Joshua 1:7-8 →''Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 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."

* Much of the fear that Christians entertain comes as a result of a lack of meditation

* You should not waste your time meditating on discouraging news in the media that is being churned out everyday

★Psalm 119:78 →"Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts."

* If you want your faith to increase, you must be committed to meditating on God's Word everyday

* The word of God takes preeminence over everything

* You must not allow anyother thing to preoccupy your mind

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

Be Merciful When Your Spouse Fails (Rev. Dinfa Lamda) 26-12-2015

★ MY SERMON NOTES

@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)

Jiyep - Hwolshe;

Jos, Plateau State - Nigeria

26th December, 2015

WEDDINGS:

☆ GAMPAN & NANMAN HAGGAI

☆ MUSA & FLORENCE SAMBO

SERMON

* Speaker: Rev. Dinfa Lamda

* Topic: Be Merciful When Your Spouse Fails

* Text: Exodus 32:11-14

* God was angry with the Israelites and wanted to destroy them.

→ He wanted to break the covenant that existed between Him and the Israelites due to their unfaithfulness;

→ Moses interceded for them & God relented in his intention to destroy

* Remember that there may be failures on the part of your spouse as long as you live

⇒ Offenses are inevitable

→ Even best friends offend each other periodically

* Note: Israel was not the best nation on earth, but God decided to chose and love them

→ Similarly, out of all the men and women in the world, married couples have decided to choose each other - this is a good thing, regardless of what happens (good or bad)

* Sometimes, what you are expecting from your spouse is not what you will get, but you must continue to love him/her - because you have vowed before God to do so

* Many people do not understand the implication of Christian marriage which is meant to be permanent

* NOTE: Though Moses was a motal man, but God listened to him when he interceded for Israel

→ Some people are adamant when their spouse offends them and is seeking reconciliation

* As a believer, you must give allowance for the shortcomings of others who offend you

→ You must always forgive freely

* Refusal to forgive is a sign of spiritual immaturity

* Divorce should not even be an option in Christian marriage

* Don't listen to the voices of men when bad advices come

* Always weigh every advice in the light of God's Word

* As a child of God, the Scripture must be your standard

* Always remember that people around you are observing your conduct

* The only secret of success in marriage is to do all things as unto God and for His glory

* When you take the vow "for better for worse", NO EXCUSE will suffice as justification for breaking your sacred covenant with your spouse, taken in the presence of God and the Church

★ Revelation 2:10 →"Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer. Look! The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested. For ten days you will undergo suffering. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life."

* Your faithfulness to your marriage vows must be unconditional - even to the point of death

* There is a difference between patience and longsuffering!

→ longsuffering starts where patience is totally exhausted

* You cannot 'soften' God's Word to suit your circumstance when things are not going your way in marriage

* Remember your covenant and always try to fulfil them as long as you are alive

* As a Christian, your life must be governed by the Scriptures, not your emotions, societal expectations or your culture

* You must keep your marriage covenant even when it hurts you

→ Psalm 15:4

☆ Marriage is a choice: You must accept the good or bad consequences of your own choice for the rest of your life

* NOTE: Marriage would bring extra problems to you

→ A person who does not want extra problems in his life should not get married at all!

* Marriage is a test of your patience and your ability to withstand challenges in life