Our Sermons
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
Psalm 111:10
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”
Life happens to everyone, Christians and non-Christians. However, God expects you as a Christian to react to happenings in your life differently from non-Christian. The things happening in your life that are challenging your faith in God should not define you because they are temporary and subject to change. Our Lord Jesus Christ encouraged us to be of good cheers in this world filled with tribulations because He has overcome for us (John 16:33). Psalm 34:19 says the righteous may go through many afflictions, but the Lord will deliver him/her from all the afflictions. Micah 7:8 says the enemy should not rejoice when we fall because we will rise again. Isaiah 43:2 assures us of God’s abiding presence when we are going through all manner of trials, so we come out victorious. Talking about trials and temptations, James admonishes us to count it all joy when we face trials of many kinds so the testing of our faith can produce patience (James 1:2-4). Do not lose your joy in trials but be strengthened by the joy of the lord (Nehemiah 8:10). Maintain a lifestyle and atmosphere of joy. Free yourself from a mindset of gloom and doom. No matter what you lose never lose your joy. Enter into the realm of thankfulness. Never forget the ministry of angels to strengthen you during your lowest time. Angels are spoken of in the Scriptures as “ministering spirits,” sent forth to minister for those who are heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). Apostle Paul assures us that we may appear struck down but we not out (2 Corinthians 4:9). You may be working through some challenging situations right now but you are not stuck. There is a champion in you. Do not give in to the suggestions of the devil: Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
Luke 23:18 “And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:”
What happened to Barabbas is a picture of what happens when a person is born again. Barabbas was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Yet Jesus suffered the death that Barabbas should have experienced, and Barabbas went free.
Likewise, we were all guilty (Romans. 3:23) and condemned to death (Romans 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we may go free (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just as Barabbas did not ask for this substitution, so ' God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Romans 5:8). Barabbas was freed, but he had to choose whether to accept this new status and remain free or go back to his old ways and come under the judgment of Rome again. Likewise, we have all been freed through the substitutionary death of Jesus, but we must choose whether to accept our freedom by putting faith in Jesus or to reject it, by denying Him. Our death to sin and resurrection to life with Christ is already a reality in our spirits but will only become a physical reality when we know and believe it. In the same way that Jesus died unto sin once, and death no longer has dominion over Him, the person who recognizes their death with Christ unto sin, will not allow sin to rule over him or her anymore. Any Christian who is struggling with sin has not recognized that they are dead unto sin.
PHILIPPIANS 2:4 NKJ “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Every person you see today is a person God loves. God would appreciate you helping them, on His behalf. Jesus said that His followers would be known by our love. That has to mean that people will see our love expressed through giving help to others (John 13:35). The Holy Spirit is a Helper. When we allow Him to indwell us, we will also become helpers. We can help the person around us by giving a smile, a word of encouragement, or a helping hand. Here is an amazing fact: whatever we do in helping people, Jesus takes it personally (Matthew 25:40). The essence of God’s kingdom is unselfish love. Jesus demonstrated this for us perfectly. Acts 10:38 summarizes His life by saying “He went about doing good.” When God’s love in our hearts is released, it will result in us helping someone. That is what the love of God produces. There is a certain satisfaction in worldly accomplishment. But it never brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. So many try in vain to achieve more and more success and fame and gather more and more material things. But that never brings them what they inwardly crave. You were created in the image of God, who is love. And until you become more of a giver instead of a taker, you will not be happy. Selfish accomplishment will never give you the inner joy and fulfillment that you will find in helping others. You were created in God’s image, to be a blessing and to be a helper. If you want to start feeling better, help others. Unselfishly helping those in need will bring you joy. Your purpose is to help people for God, in the midst of this world system, governed by selfishness and greed, God is expecting us to be different and show love by giving of ourselves to help others.
Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
The human experience of life on this planet offers richness in both the sunshine and the rain. As much as we would prefer to have the sun shining all our days, it is clear that we appreciate our days far more after surviving the storms life will bring. When we are faced with storms, we can find comfort that we are not the first to have faced trying times, nor will we be the last. Through God’s Word, we can draw inspiration from those who have seen the difficulties life will bring and be encouraged to choose a heart status of gratitude and praise even when our hallelujahs are weak. David was the man after God’s heart, and his life was one of miracles but also enormously testing times. David was anointed king as a teenager, but he would not take the throne until nearly twenty years later because another man, Saul, sat as king. Saul became aware that David was to be king, and for most of the time when David awaited the time to become king, he was pursued, hunted, and terrorized by Saul. Despite all of this and other trying times, David could find solace in the Lord and offer gratitude to Him. Just as David found his confidence in God and offered Him praise, we can as well, no matter the situation. Life will bring trying times, but we are always left with the choice of gratitude or bitter feelings. We can draw encouragement from those who have navigated through hard times before and, like them, choose to praise God, keep a good attitude of gratitude, and see that even if it does not make sense now, one day, it will. Can you give gratitude to God in an imperfect situation? If you can, then you are expressing the highest form of faith!
Hebrews 11:24-25 NKJ “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,”
God confronts us with the truth on a daily basis, and He expects us to make a change that conforms to His truth. Change however, requires and demands sacrifice. Sacrifice is not easy to engage in, yet it is the key that unlocks many gates to people’s deliverances and blessings. It is one of the secrets of supernatural breakthroughs. I am talking about personal sacrifice in your life that demands you make u-turn from your present lifestyle; detach yourself from individuals in your life that are pulling you away you from God’s plan and purpose for your life. This will require tough decisions but God’s grace will always be sufficient for you. Potiphar’s wife took notice of Joseph’s good looks and asked him to sleep with her. Joseph refused her advances, saying that he could not do such a wicked thing and sin against God. Despite her repeated attempts, Joseph refused to sleep with her or even be with her (Genesis 39:9-10). That was the sacrifice that made a big change in Joseph’s life and destiny. God fulfilled Joseph’s dream. He went from being a prisoner to becoming a prime minister in Egypt, within a day. The widow of Zarephath sacrificed the only handful of flour and little oil she had for her son and herself to eat during a drought (cause of the famine in the land), and God gave her food to eat till rain started falling again for crops to grow. She experienced supernatural turnaround through her sacrifice (1 Kings 17:8-16). I want you to take an inventory of your life today. What sacrifices should you make, that will bring God’s desired change (s) in your life and make your life a testimony for His glory? Remember, “No Change without a Sacrifice.”
2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 NIV “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The Greek word translated “temporary” in this verse is “proskairos”, which means “for a season, enduring only for a while.” Psalms 30:5(b) says “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. “It is amazing how we freak out when we face certain situations in life, even as Christians. We forget that the greater one lives in us (1 John 4:4). We forget that every situation that is named is subject to the Name of Jesus (Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9-11). We forget that every situation is temporary and subject to change, if we exercise our authority in Christ Jesus over that situation. This is what you should say to your circumstances when they do not line up with God’s Word: Temporary! You need to understand problems do speak to you through the demonic forces behind those problems. They say things like, “You cannot get rid of me. I will be with you as long as you live.” “Your parents died from this, and you will, too.” “Your family was poor, and you will always be poor. You will never have abundance. You will never get out of debt.” You must resist those thoughts and talk back to them, because they are contrary to what God said in His word. Resist devil’s thoughts and ideas (2 Corinthians 10:5). Do not be passive. Resist steadfastly! If you name the challenges, you are facing as “yours” and “permanent”, they will stay. But if you call them “temporary”, they will eventually leave. Your circumstances are subject to change! Temporary!