Col 4:12-13
Epaphras was one of them, no extra ordinary person, no special treatment or gift but he always laboured fervently.
His name is mentioned only twice in scripture i.e. Col 1:7 “As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ”
Pillar is a word used by the Jews for Teachers of the law and persons of great importance.
Pillars sustain buildings, they hold the whole building together so that the building does not fall or break down.
A pillar knowing its importance does not move away from its task and remains there until Kingdom come.
Epaphras was a pillar in the Church though many did not know much about him. He remained steadfast and fervently laboured in his calling. He travailed day and night to ensure that the people of God will stand perfect.
When God calls you, he calls you for a purpose. No one has been called to be a pew warmer. Which ever area God has called you, he expects you to labour fervently to ensure that the ministry is standing perfect before God. God didn’t call you in the Church come and go home. There is something that God can use you for.
He hasn’t called you to stand in the middle of the road; there is something that you can do. We know what happens to people who stand in the middle of the road, they get ran over by cars. You don’t want to get ran over by sin, by the enemy, and by lust. Rise up and make yourself count.
The bible says he laboured which means he took the patience to work hard at this.
Fervency means intensely sincere and passionate about something. God expects us to be passionate about his work and be sincere, work with the genuiness of your heart. Put all your heart in serving God. Serve him the way he wants you to.
You have to do your utmost best even if no one sees you, God sees you. He is not looking for people who make all kinds of excuses, he is looking for people who will avail themselves for him to use. God doesn’t look for your ability, he looks for you to avail yourself. It is when you have said here am I use me then he would use your ability. That is where we get the word availability from.
a. God expects us to be faithful in your prayer life. He expects to know every thing about you. He says in Isaiah 1:18 “come now and let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall as white as snow”. Pray to God about everything and about where he has called you. 7days without prayer makes one weak. It’s hard to stumble when you are on your knees. You need to wait upon the Lord in prayer Isaiah40:31
To be continued late..........
Friday, 18 April 2008
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Play to win
Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of Joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore”.
In this Christian life you have to play to win, don’t play not to loose. In a game of football, most teams playing against the top 4 teams play not to loose, they play on the defensive where as the top 4 play to win so they make all the onslaughts. They attack on all fronts.
Similarly in the Christian life you have to be on the offensive all the time. You have to play to win all your spiritual battles as well as your physical battles. It is a warfare you cannot afford to be on the defensive because the enemy will put pressure on you. Some one once said that if you don’t bother the devil, he will leave you alone. That is a lie of the Devil. Adam was minding his own business when the enemy deceived Eve.
There is no safe ground in this battle. The best way to defend is to attack. That is the only way out.
2Kgs. 7:1-8 Samarians were minding their own business when the Assyrians attacked them and brought so much famine in the land. But four crazy lepers refused to sit back they decided to take a step of faith and God magnified their footsteps so much that the enemy had to flee because it was afraid of what was going to happen.
To day if you will take that step of faith, that enemy that has been bothering you for a long time will flee.
Judges 6 Gideon was a mighty man of valour but he didn’t know so he was hiding. Today you have to bring out that mighty man of valour in you.
Mt. 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force”
You have to take authority by force this morning.
For you to win you have to be aggressive and violent against the enemy.
God bless you.
In this Christian life you have to play to win, don’t play not to loose. In a game of football, most teams playing against the top 4 teams play not to loose, they play on the defensive where as the top 4 play to win so they make all the onslaughts. They attack on all fronts.
Similarly in the Christian life you have to be on the offensive all the time. You have to play to win all your spiritual battles as well as your physical battles. It is a warfare you cannot afford to be on the defensive because the enemy will put pressure on you. Some one once said that if you don’t bother the devil, he will leave you alone. That is a lie of the Devil. Adam was minding his own business when the enemy deceived Eve.
There is no safe ground in this battle. The best way to defend is to attack. That is the only way out.
2Kgs. 7:1-8 Samarians were minding their own business when the Assyrians attacked them and brought so much famine in the land. But four crazy lepers refused to sit back they decided to take a step of faith and God magnified their footsteps so much that the enemy had to flee because it was afraid of what was going to happen.
To day if you will take that step of faith, that enemy that has been bothering you for a long time will flee.
Judges 6 Gideon was a mighty man of valour but he didn’t know so he was hiding. Today you have to bring out that mighty man of valour in you.
Mt. 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force”
You have to take authority by force this morning.
For you to win you have to be aggressive and violent against the enemy.
God bless you.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Lessons from the Alabaster box
Mt 26:7-13
This shows an enthusiastic and zealous Christian woman who poured the alabaster box of very precious perfume on the head of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus.
All her mind, soul and spirit were for the Lord Jesus Himself.
We have to desire to do something for the Lord which is a sacrifice of pure love, not seeking man’s approval but God’s appreciation.
It should be a secret between you and God and no one else, secret tokens of love as directed by the Lord as to what he requires of you, and not what men think God will require.
The woman did not ask any leader or disciple what she should do or offer but rather she allowed God to lead her. She sought what the Lord required of her and did it whole heartedly.
Most at times as believers, our prayer and service is about us and the good of fellow men. We pray for our blessing and our breakthroughs but let’s set times as side when our prayer will be just for him.
There are times when it’s all about Jesus and no one else. (Ps72:15)
This woman entered the room with only one thought, it’s all about Jesus, I am doing it unto the lord, this is my reasonable service.
I offer you one or two suggestions about doing good works for Jesus. Take care that self never creeps in. It is to be all for Jesus.
Never do anything for Jesus out of the love for popularity. Be always glad if your right hand does not know what your left hand does.
Never have any fear of rejection from those who don't understand your love for Jesus.
The oil was very costly and precious: about a year’s wages. She also used her hair to wipe his feet (a woman’s hair is very precious to her but she used it to wipe his feet).
When the last time that you did something for the Lord that was was very precious and costly to you. When the last time that you gave something that was was very precious to you unto the Lord.
When was the last time that you gave precious time to serve the Lord that cost you a lot of money? You could have gone to work to make some extra money but you chose to honor the Lord.
When was the last time you offered anything to the Lord (without any one prompting you) that cost you.
At times, what God requires of you will cost you your friendships, your family, your social association. In plane language it will cost you something.
David said I will not give anything to the Lord that will not cost me.
Don’t be afraid of people who will criticise or even be offended because they do not understand what you are doing. It is not unto them but it is unto the Lord. Most of the time, it’s because they don’t understand at that time.
Never congratulate yourself after you have done a work for Jesus. See it as your reasonable service.
Remember that deeds of self-sacrifice are most acceptable to Jesus. He loves His people's gifts when they give, and feel that they have given.
We should measure what we do for Him not by what we have given, but by what we have left; and if we have a lot left over then we haven't given as much as the widow who gave two very small copper coins--no, for certain we have not, for she gave "all she had to live on."
At times, God touches your heart to do something that may not necessarily make sense at that time or you may not know what will come out of that at that particular moment but if it’s good for him, then that is the most important thing. You will realise it’s importance later.
The woman anointed him for his burial.
If a deed done for Christ causes you to be disliked, and threatens to
deprive you of usefulness, then do it anyway. Don’t worry about your popularity or how people will see you.
It is the devil's logic which says, "You see I can't share the truth, because I am afraid of the consequences." Be honest, and fear not! The consequences are God's concerns, and not yours.
However great the cost, nothing is wasted which is spent on the Lord, for Jesus deserves it.
What if it did nothing for others; did it please Him? He has a right to it.
When I have tried to do my best to serve God, and a heartless critic has torn my work to pieces, I have thought, "I didn't do it for you!
I wouldn't have done it for you! I did it for my Lord. Your judgment is a small matter.
So you may go about your service, and feel "I do it for Christ, and I believe that Christ accepts my service, and I am content with that." Jesus deserves that much should be done for Him.
Find out what will please Jesus; and do it for Him. Think of no one else in the matter. He deserves all you can do for Him, and infinitely more.
Besides, you may be sure that any action which appears to you as useless, if prompted by love, has a place in Christ's plan, and will be turned into something of great value.
This anointing of our Lord's head was said to be useless. "No," said Jesus, "When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial."
There have been men who have done an heroic deed for Christ, and at the time they did it they might have asked, "How will this serve my Lord's purpose?" But somehow it was the very thing that was wanted.
The woman's loving act was not wasted; for it has helped us all down to this very moment. There has it stood in the Bible; and all who have read it, and are right in their heart, have been motivated by it to sacred consecration out of love to Jesus.
That woman has been a preacher to centuries; the influence of that alabaster jar is not exhausted today, and never will be.
Whenever you meet a friend who has done anything for our Lord Jesus, you still smell the perfume of the sacred spikenard.
Her act is doing all of us good at this hour; it is filling this church with fragrance. I believe it is motivating you unto good works.
If you are serving Christ in your own secret way in which you do not seek to benefit others, but to honor Him, it may be you will be an instructive example to saints in ages to come.
This shows an enthusiastic and zealous Christian woman who poured the alabaster box of very precious perfume on the head of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus.
All her mind, soul and spirit were for the Lord Jesus Himself.
We have to desire to do something for the Lord which is a sacrifice of pure love, not seeking man’s approval but God’s appreciation.
It should be a secret between you and God and no one else, secret tokens of love as directed by the Lord as to what he requires of you, and not what men think God will require.
The woman did not ask any leader or disciple what she should do or offer but rather she allowed God to lead her. She sought what the Lord required of her and did it whole heartedly.
Most at times as believers, our prayer and service is about us and the good of fellow men. We pray for our blessing and our breakthroughs but let’s set times as side when our prayer will be just for him.
There are times when it’s all about Jesus and no one else. (Ps72:15)
This woman entered the room with only one thought, it’s all about Jesus, I am doing it unto the lord, this is my reasonable service.
I offer you one or two suggestions about doing good works for Jesus. Take care that self never creeps in. It is to be all for Jesus.
Never do anything for Jesus out of the love for popularity. Be always glad if your right hand does not know what your left hand does.
Never have any fear of rejection from those who don't understand your love for Jesus.
The oil was very costly and precious: about a year’s wages. She also used her hair to wipe his feet (a woman’s hair is very precious to her but she used it to wipe his feet).
When the last time that you did something for the Lord that was was very precious and costly to you. When the last time that you gave something that was was very precious to you unto the Lord.
When was the last time that you gave precious time to serve the Lord that cost you a lot of money? You could have gone to work to make some extra money but you chose to honor the Lord.
When was the last time you offered anything to the Lord (without any one prompting you) that cost you.
At times, what God requires of you will cost you your friendships, your family, your social association. In plane language it will cost you something.
David said I will not give anything to the Lord that will not cost me.
Don’t be afraid of people who will criticise or even be offended because they do not understand what you are doing. It is not unto them but it is unto the Lord. Most of the time, it’s because they don’t understand at that time.
Never congratulate yourself after you have done a work for Jesus. See it as your reasonable service.
Remember that deeds of self-sacrifice are most acceptable to Jesus. He loves His people's gifts when they give, and feel that they have given.
We should measure what we do for Him not by what we have given, but by what we have left; and if we have a lot left over then we haven't given as much as the widow who gave two very small copper coins--no, for certain we have not, for she gave "all she had to live on."
At times, God touches your heart to do something that may not necessarily make sense at that time or you may not know what will come out of that at that particular moment but if it’s good for him, then that is the most important thing. You will realise it’s importance later.
The woman anointed him for his burial.
If a deed done for Christ causes you to be disliked, and threatens to
deprive you of usefulness, then do it anyway. Don’t worry about your popularity or how people will see you.
It is the devil's logic which says, "You see I can't share the truth, because I am afraid of the consequences." Be honest, and fear not! The consequences are God's concerns, and not yours.
However great the cost, nothing is wasted which is spent on the Lord, for Jesus deserves it.
What if it did nothing for others; did it please Him? He has a right to it.
When I have tried to do my best to serve God, and a heartless critic has torn my work to pieces, I have thought, "I didn't do it for you!
I wouldn't have done it for you! I did it for my Lord. Your judgment is a small matter.
So you may go about your service, and feel "I do it for Christ, and I believe that Christ accepts my service, and I am content with that." Jesus deserves that much should be done for Him.
Find out what will please Jesus; and do it for Him. Think of no one else in the matter. He deserves all you can do for Him, and infinitely more.
Besides, you may be sure that any action which appears to you as useless, if prompted by love, has a place in Christ's plan, and will be turned into something of great value.
This anointing of our Lord's head was said to be useless. "No," said Jesus, "When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial."
There have been men who have done an heroic deed for Christ, and at the time they did it they might have asked, "How will this serve my Lord's purpose?" But somehow it was the very thing that was wanted.
The woman's loving act was not wasted; for it has helped us all down to this very moment. There has it stood in the Bible; and all who have read it, and are right in their heart, have been motivated by it to sacred consecration out of love to Jesus.
That woman has been a preacher to centuries; the influence of that alabaster jar is not exhausted today, and never will be.
Whenever you meet a friend who has done anything for our Lord Jesus, you still smell the perfume of the sacred spikenard.
Her act is doing all of us good at this hour; it is filling this church with fragrance. I believe it is motivating you unto good works.
If you are serving Christ in your own secret way in which you do not seek to benefit others, but to honor Him, it may be you will be an instructive example to saints in ages to come.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Friday, 4 January 2008
A Mormon converts to Christianity
Isaiah 42:10 Sing unto Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Muslim converting to christianity
Romans 10:9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus 'as' Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
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