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.
Saturday, 8 March 2008
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:
Sunday, 23 December 2007
Christian Leadership pt.5- Spiritual Ethics
Spiritual ethics are very important in the church. Learn to give honour to the one who invited you or who handed over to you.
Do not talk behind the back of people. As a visiting speaker, don’t start taking phone numbers of church members and then call them as if you can pastor them better than their own pastor. As a church member, there is the temptation to think that a visiting Pastor is far better than your Pastor because he just ministers occasionally in your church. The bible says “a prophet has no honour in his house”.
Finance:
Matthew23:23 “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone”.
Jesus Christ sanctions the fact that we should pay tithe. It was practiced in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Malachi 3:8-10 God required the people of Israel to give to his store house.
What was the store house used for?
The reason why God wants you to tithe is for there to be meat in the storehouse for the priest and the poor. Numbers 18:21-24-The Levites had no inheritance.
Deut 14:27-29 For the Priest, the stranger, the fatherless, the widow which are within thy gates shall come and eat and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless the work of thy hand which thou doest.
1Cor 4:2,7b. “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Our motivation is as it’s stated in 2Cor.9:7-8 Everyone has to be a cheerful giver not out of compulsion, it shouldn’t be as if it’s a tax, but it should be from the heart.
Don’t be greedy giver where you have a lot but give very little but give freely and willingly
So let’s see how the New Testament Church did give:
Acts 4:32-35, 1 Cor. 9:7-10,14
1. None among them lacked, and as many as were possessors sold what they had and brought it to be redistributed among them.
2. This means they took care of the Priests and the needy among them. Every one was ministered to according as he had need.
3. No one gave out of compulsion. They all gave willingly, freely and cheerfully. No one withheld what he or she had. No one was a greedy giver. Every one helped minister to the need of the whole congregation.
You will realise that the New Testament church was not restricted to just 10% but they gave their all and their best. Jesus gave us an example of giving. He gave himself for us. He gave his all. He left his throne and came down to sacrifice his life for us.
2 Cor. 8:8-9, 13-15
Even though he was rich, he became poor for us and so does he expect us to do the same to others.
The rewards of giving:
Matt19:29-30, Mark 10:29-30 “And every one that has forsaken houses or brethren or Sisters, or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake, shall receive an hundred fold now in this life and the life after”.
Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down shaken together, running over shall men give unto you. For with the same measure that ye mete withal shall, it shall be measured to you again”.
Prov3:9-10”…So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine”.
Ps 126:5-6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him”.
Philp 4: 15-19 “…But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”.
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