Church Construction 2013

May 2013 - Planting the Garden

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REVIVAL UNDER KING JEHOSHAPHAT, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2024

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REVIVAL UNDER KING JEHOSHAPHAT, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTGod’s word will surely prevail. TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 17:1-13 INTRODUCTION:The name Jehoshaphat means “God has judged” or “God established the right”. He was the son and successor of Asa the King of Judah (1 Kings 15:24). He was a pious King who began to rule at the age of 35 years and ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. During his reign, he carried out a national program of religious education by teaching the people to know and observe the commandments of God. He realized that knowing God’s commands was the first step to getting people to live as they should. He enjoyed several Military victories. However, he did not completely destroy idolatry in the land. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives are to: Identify the good things that King Jehoshaphat did. Mention the wrong things he did. Comment on the prophecies/actions of Micaiah, Jehu etc. Summarize the blessings that God bestowed on Jehoshaphat for his obedience. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHO WAS KING JEHOSHAPHAT?1 Kings 22:41-44Jehoshaphat was the son of King Asa who became the King of Judah at the age of 35 years after the death of his father and ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. Jehoshaphat had a good heritage of godliness from his father’s early life. He had seven sons with Jehoram as the first who took over from him as king of Judah after his death. Jehoshaphat was a bold follower of God who contributed immensely to the spiritual, moral and material health of his country. Like his ancestors Solomon and Asa, he failed to completely remove the pagan shrines in the hill so the people never fully committed themselves to follow the God of their fathers (2 Chron.20:33). QUESTION 2) IDENTIFY THE GOOD THINGS THAT KING JEHOSHAPHAT DID.2 Chronicles 17:1-9;19:4-11The young King Jehoshaphat took the following steps that enabled him to build a powerful kingdom.(a) Good relationship with God. (2 Chron.17:3-6)Jehoshaphat found baal worship detestable and offensive to God and so refused to serve this popular heathen god. He chose to serve and obey the commandments of the living God. He was deeply committed to the Lord who in turn established his control over the Kingdom of Judah.(b) Good Education Policy (2 Chron.17:7-9).The people of Judah were biblically illiterate at this time. In some cases, people sinned against God because they were ignorant of His requirements. Jehoshaphat took time to raise competent teachers of the Word led by the Levities, Priests and Princes who travelled around through all the towns of Judah teaching the people the word of God. This caused everyone to fear the Lord.(c). Good Neighborliness (2 Chron 17:10-11)King Jehoshaphat maintained good relationship with surrounding nations. More so, the scripture says, “ When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him”. (Proverbs 16:7). God caused the Philistines and Arabians to fear and respect him. They were bringing gifts to this King and no one was ready to declare war against the King and his people.(d). Good domestic defense (2 Chron.17:12-19).Jehoshaphat provided security by fortifying the cities and building up a large, competent and well-equipped army. This army who was recruited according to their ancestral clans supported the king and were stationed in Jerusalem and fortified towns throughout...

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DANIEL – A DEVOTED STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 10, 2024

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DANIEL – A DEVOTED STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 10, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHT We can live for God wherever we find ourselves. TEXT: DANIEL 6 & 7 (Reading Text: Daniel 6:1-28) INTRODUCTION: Living for God is a must for all who are obedient to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is always available to guide a child of God through any position or height that one climbs. Christian leaders should never forget who they are in the midst of many ungodly comrades. The scripture says that Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, Matthew 5:13-16. It is important that we maintain our integrity as children and ambassadors of a holy and true God. It is in this strive to stand for truth and righteousness that the enemy, Satan, tries to fault the effort of man. Daniel at the point of no compromise decided that the “vegetables” were more nourishing than the king’s meat and therefore called the king’s meat a defilement. He also chose to obey the Lord than to cease worshiping God. The leaders of the land could find no other way to accuse him other than faulting his obedience to God, Daniel 6:4-5. Many leaders today forget who they are when they climb to positions of authority. Rather than shining for Christ, they allow the darkness to overshadow them. The light should shine in darkness and darkness should not overshadow it.Believers should not hesitate to declare their identity with Christ and to confess the nature and pattern of life we are made for. This will go a long way to save us from the ungodly demand of the world. There has to be a personal commitment to God no matter the heights we have reached. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHY WAS DANIEL PREFERRED ABOVE ALL THE PRESIDENTS AND PRICES? Daniel, although in a strange land, allowed his light to shine as a believer in God. He did not hide his identity. The Bible records that he was a man of integrity. It should be recalled that Dairus who had just conquered Babylon could have imprisoned Daniel since he served in the government that was conquered. On the contrary, he was promoted. Daniel left the trail of God in his activities in the kingdom. No wonder the Bible says that God will make our enemies to be at peace with us if our ways please Him, Proverbs 16:7. He was a man with an excellent spirit. We have been chosen of God to show forth His praise, 1 Peter 2:9. We are Christ’s ambassadors here on earth as Christians, 2 Corinthians 5:20. It is very regrettable today that some of us have often misrepresented heaven. The name of God is blasphemed when we live dishonorable lives. Daniel in his day proved himself a worthy ambassador. Joseph was another true ambassador in his day. He was guided by the fear of the Lord. He had the opportunity to commit adultery with his master’s wife without any body knowing but he was very conscious of God’s presence and who He is. Anytime the name of God is glorified in our lives, He promotes us by Himself. We must learn to acknowledge Him in all that we do so that he can direct our paths. QUESTION 2) WHAT WAS DANIEL’S REACTION TO THE SIGNING OF THE...

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ABRAHAM- A FRIEND OF GOD, November 3rd, 2024

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ABRAHAM- A FRIEND OF GOD, November 3rd, 2024

TEXT: GEN. 18:1-33 INTRODUCTION: There is a vast difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend. An important evidence of true friendship is loyalty, one to another (mutual). A true friend will continue to love irrespective of the circumstances and situations. From the time God called Abraham (Gen.12:1), their relationship continued to grow till it came to what could be called friendship. Abraham proved faithful to the point that God could visit, trust, confide in Him and grant his request. What a wonderful experience for a mortal man! Let us go through this lesson with the mindset to appropriate this knowledge in our lives, thereby improving our relationship with God, our true friend who gave His life a ransom for our souls. LESSON OBJECTIVES At the end of this lesson, we shall be able to: 1. Describe a true friend. 2. Identify the qualities of Abraham that made him to be called a friend of God. 3. Discuss how our friendship with God can grow and develop. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHO IS A TRUE FRIEND? Prov.17:17; Gen. 18:17; Jn.15:15. A friend is someone that loves at all times (1 Cor.13:4-8); someone being available to help in times of distress or personal struggle. A friend does not emphasize the weaknesses of his friend; someone you can trust, rely on and confide in. Friendship is at its best not in prosperity but in time of trouble. Good friends do not keep secrets from one another. Jesus calling His disciples friend speaks of mutuality and love, one in spirit. David loved his friend Jonathan as himself. Their faithful friendship also gave us a glimpse of the loving relationship Christ has with us. QUESTION 2) WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS OF ABRAHAM’S CLOSE COMMUNION WITH GOD? Gen.18:9-15,20. Abraham’s close communion (friendship) with God paid off for him. The twenty-five years old promise of no definite time frame became forth-coming as declared “according to this time next year, your wife shall have a son” (Gen.18:10 NLT). Secondly, the secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him (Commune with Him). God honored Abraham by telling him of His plan to destroy the twin evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Furthermore, the intercessory prayers made for the two cities by Abraham was answered by God. QUESTION 3) ABRAHAM INTERCEDED FOR SODOM AND GOMORRAH. WHAT DOES THIS TEACH YOU ABOUT GOD’S REVELATION? Gen.18:23-33; Ezek.22:30-31. God’s mercies always prompt Him to reveal certain secrets (revelation) to us, His friend, to do something about it. God revealed His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (God’s perfect judgement), but Abraham, who knew that God was fair to the people began to intercede for them. God’s fairness stood out. He agreed to spare the entire cities if only ten Godly people lived there. He also showed mercy towards Lot, apparently the only man in the city who had any kind of relationship with Him. He also showed great patience towards Lot, literally, (almost) forcing him to leave Sodom before it was destroyed. God showed Abraham that asking for anything is allowed, with the understanding that God’s answers come from His perspective. They are not always in harmony with our expectations, for only He knows the whole story. As a friend of God, He can...

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ASA, THE REFORMER, OCTOBER 27TH, 2024

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ASA, THE REFORMER, OCTOBER 27TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTIt is of great value to prayerfully start a Spiritual revival/reformation, receive grace to sustain it and finish strong. TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 14:1-15, 15: 1-19 INTRODUCTION:Asa was the son and the successor of Abijah and King of Judah. He was the third King of Judah, one who restored true worship to Judah (1 Kings 15:8-15) and he reigned for 41 years. The Scriptures testify that King Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord, his God (2 Chronicles14:2). He was a pious man who instituted several reforms to remove foreign gods and foreign religious practices form the land. Part of his strategies to institute the reform was the removal of his idolatrous Mother from being Queen Mother (political power) in order to purge the land of idolatry. Although, the account of 1st Kings 15 tells us that Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days (1 Kings 15:14), Chronicles explains that in his later years, he departed from his total devotion to God (2 Chronicles 16:1-14). This gives credence to the scriptures that says, “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he falls…”. There is the need therefore for believers to start the Christian race well, run it well, and finish it well.Be confident that when you wholeheartedly seek God, you will find him. Rejoice in knowing that the Lord is searching for people like you whose hearts will be loyal to Him, that He may strengthen and support and use for His glory. Make yourself available. LESSON OBJECTIVES Explain why it was said that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God” Discuss reasons why it was possible for Asa to build fortified cities in Judah Identify and explain the warnings given to Asa by prophet Azariah Discuss Asa’s response to prophet Azariah’s warning Identify and discuss the events that led to the fall of Asa, the great reformer BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1A) WHY WAS IT SAID THAT “ASA DID WHAT WAS GOOD AND RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD HIS GOD”.2 Chronicles 14:2-5Asa was a reformer and he promptly set out to purge the land of idolatry. He banished the perverted persons from the land and removed all the idols that his father, Abijam had set up, he drove out the Sodomites from the land, and removed his idolatrous grandmother, Maachah from being Queen mother. It is refreshing to see a King over Judah spoken of by God in this way. Asa pointed Judah to the Bible while seeking the ways of God, and following the word of God ensured serenity, rest, and peace which the land witnessed. QUESTION 1B) WHAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO BUILD FORTIFIED CITIES IN JUDAH?2 Chronicles 14:6-8 King Asa built fenced /fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest and had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. When one truly follows the Lord “rest” is guaranteed. The Lord Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, promised to give rest to all those who put their trust in Him. When people are right with God, they have power over their enemies. If a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him....

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NAAMAN, THE SYRIAN, OCTOBER 20TH, 2024

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NAAMAN, THE SYRIAN, OCTOBER 20TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTHumility and complete obedient is the pathway to divine blessings. TEXT: 2 KINGS 5:1-14 INTRODUCTION:The healing of Naaman demonstrates God’s saving power and grace upon all mankind irrespective of race and status. Naaman was a Syrian who was not supposed to enjoy the covenant blessings. But like the Syrophenician woman would argue “even dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master’s table” (Matt 15:27). God shows mercy and does good to all. His overall purpose is for all men to be saved.Naaman was a hero but he was a leper, very powerful, but could not exchange skin with the basest Slave in Syria. No man’s greatness or honor can insulate him from the calamities of human life. It took Naaman’s obedience and humility to be healed by God. In this study, we shall examine the steps he took to get healed of his leprosy with a view to deriving some lessons. LESSON OBJECTIVES To know who Naaman was. To examine Naaman’s encounter with Prophet Elisha To appreciate the impact Naaman’s healing had on him and others. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHO WAS NAAMAN AND HOW DID HE HEAR ABOUT ELISHA?2 Kings 5:1-6, 1 Chron. 8:4-7, Luke 4:27Naaman was from Syria and the commander of the Syrian army. He was a descendant of Benjamin and the son of Ehud. He was a great man in a great place, an honorable and mighty man of valor. Through him God gave victories to the king of Syria over Israel and other nations. These victories earned Naaman popularity, honor and respect. He was very rich and powerful. However, in spite of his accolades, he was a leper. Leprosy was one of the most deadly diseases of the time. Some extreme forms of leprosy is so contagious that sufferers are forced out of the cities into quarantined camps. Obviously, this blemish diminished the warrior Naaman.During one of the exploits of Naaman against Israel, a young lady was captured, and she became a maid to Naaman’s wife. It was through this captive maid that Naaman got to know about Elisha. Though a little girl, she was acquainted with the wondrous works of God through Elisha. She had a strong faith in the God of Elisha and desired the good health of her master. She made her suggestions that brought about a solution to Naaman’s illness.QUESTION 2) READ 2 KINGS 5:6-7 AND COMMENT ON THE REACTION OF THE KING OF ISRAEL TO THE LETTER SENT TO HIM BY THE KING OF SYRIA THROUGH NAAMAN.Naaman decided to follow the official protocols to get to Elisha. The king of Syria had to write to the king of Israel who was expected to direct Naaman to Prophet Elisha. Naaman and the king of Syria may not have known where to find this prophet of God in Samaria. However, it was taken for granted that the king of Israel will know. So Naaman journeyed from Damascus to Samaria.The letter of introduction was then written by the King of Syria addressed to the King of Israel and accompanied by some gifts. The King of Israel on receiving the letter considered it as a strange request and tore his clothes in anger as was the custom of the Jews when they heard anything they considered blasphemous. “Am I God,...

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SOLOMON, THE WISEST MAN, OCTOBER 13TH, 2024

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SOLOMON, THE WISEST MAN, OCTOBER 13TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 12:24-25, 1 KINGS 3:1-15 INTRODUCTION:Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. His father was Kind David; he was the third king of Israel. God gave him an unsurpassable wisdom. His name, Solomon, means God’s peace, He was really loved by God from childhood, 2 Samuel 12:24-25. When God gave him opportunity to make a request of anything he needed at the beginning of his reign as king, he requested for Wisdom and a discerning heart. God was pleased with him and granted his request alongside great riches and power. He rose to fame with his first judgment in a dispute between two women who claimed to be mothers of one child, and the building of the first temple in Jerusalem.Solomon was renowned for his God given wisdom, writings and wealth. He maintained most peaceful relationships with his neighbors in his forty years reign as king of Israel. He was credited with writing Ecclesiastics, Proverbs, and the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon). His undoing was his lust for women and the pride of life. He married so many foreign women from pagan nations of whom the Lord had instructed the children of Israel not to marry their women nor give their daughters in marriage to their men. These strange women turned Solomon’s heart from following the Lord. In this study, we shall consider the rise and fall of this wisest man that ever lived. LESSON OBJECTIVES To understand what Solomon did that attracted response. To note the challenges posed to us by Solomon’s life. To understand how Solomon utilized his God-given wisdom. To identify what led to Solomon’s fall and guard against it. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1A) WHAT DID SOLOMON DO THAT ATTRACTED GOD’S ATTENTION AND WHAT WAS GOD’S RESPONSE? 1 Kings 3:3-5When the kingdom of Israel was firmly established in the hand of Solomon as promised by God, he whole heartedly loved God and continued in the footsteps of his father David. In appreciation to God for establishing him as king over Israel, he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifice to God. He offered a thousand burnt offerings unto God; for which God was pleased and in response, God appeared to him and gave him opportunity to ask for whatever he wanted God to do for him. QUESTION 1B) ANALYZE SOLOMON’S REQUEST AND GOD’S REPLY TO IT, NOTING THE CONDITION ATTACHED.Being a young man, Solomon considered himself un-equipped to rule as King over Israel, a people he considered as great and too numerous to number. So, He asked God for a discerning heart to be able to distinguish between right and wrong. God considered Solomon’s request, unselfish but a demonstration of integrity of heart and God promised to give him what he asked for and much more, including wealth, honor and long life, if only he would continue to walk in the ways of the Lord and obey all His statutes and commands as his father David did. God fulfilled His promise and Solomon became the wisest, wealthiest and most honorable king in Israel’s history. He was glad and offered burnt offering and peace offerings and made a feast for all his servants in thanksgiving unto God, 1 Kings 3:9-15. QUESTION 1C) WHAT...

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THE POWER OF APPRECIATION, OCTOBER 6TH, 2024

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THE POWER OF APPRECIATION, OCTOBER 6TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTGratitude expressed from the heart produces joy and attracts more blessings. TEXT: LUKE 17:11-19, MARK 14:3-9 INTRODUCTION:Our Lord Jesus Christ commended the only man who came back to give thanks to Him for cleansing him of leprosy out of the ten that were healed of the same ailment. According to Matt. Henry’s commentary “The rest were made whole by the power of Christ, in compassion to their distress, and in answer to their prayer: but he was made whole by his faith, by which Christ saw him distinguished from the rest”.…Temporal mercies are then doubled and sweetened to us when they are ferried in by the prayers of faith and returned by the praise of faith”. We are living in a world where many humans are very selfish and self-centered. It is a part of the signs of the end time to fail to appreciate the good done to us for any reason. The fact remains that Christ as our example appreciated Peter for allowing Him the use of his boat to preach, by making him to catch “a great multitude of fishes” after an earlier fruitless effort. Part of the Lord’s reasons for this could be to teach the lesson of appreciation. A local adage has it that “if appreciation is given to the worker, his cutlass becomes sharper”. Others have it that “if thanks are given to a person for freely offering part of his chicken for food, he is encouraged and would be most desirous to share out of his goat-meat at his nearest opportune time”. Appreciation has the positive power to effect goodness by way of influencing the giver to do more. In other words, appreciation empowers the benefactor to be more helpful and enables the beneficiary to be better enriched. It should be pointed out also that the benefactor also receives from God for his giving. LESSON OBJECTIVES To understand the power of appreciation To know what it means to appreciate To know why we should appreciate To show the consequences of not appreciating To understand the benefits of appreciation BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHAT DO WE UNDERSTAND BY “POWER OF APPRECIATION”?By power we mean energy of strength, opportunity, capability, potency, influence, or ability of the body or mind to act or do something. Appreciation means to express or show happiness, thankfulness, or gratitude with the words of our mouth, gesture, favorable reaction or parting with our material substance, belongings etc. to somebody of authority who did us good, or favor or extended grace and forgiveness to us.Power of appreciation, therefore, is the capability of our expression, out of a heart full of gratitude to induce, or cause, produce or generate more atmosphere for future benefits as a result of the previous done to us. Thus, power of appreciation does not only make both parties to be happy but invokes more love between them.It is that zeal to do more good to someone who expresses satisfaction over our help or goodness to him. QUESTION 2) WHO SHOULD SHOW APPRECIATION AND TO WHOM?Gratitude should be expressed from our hearts to all persons whether older or younger and or any authority or body who has done us good. Even if such good deed is our perceived right, we could generate a more cordial atmosphere for...

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BUILDING GOD’S HOUSE, SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024

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BUILDING GOD’S HOUSE, SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTChristians should not only build houses for God but be well built up as God’s temple. TEXT: EZRA 5:1-5, 6:13-22, 1 COR. 3:6-17, 6:19-20INTRODUCTION:God’s house is also referred to as a temple. It is a house where people worship God from time to time. It is usually different from other buildings because it serves as a sacred purpose. King David planned, and gathered some materials to build God a temple. God however, warned him not to do so through the prophet Nathan because he had shed much blood as a man of war. (2 Sam.7:4-5; 1 Kgs 8:17-19).Solomon his son thus built a very magnificent house for the Lord from 1012 BC to 1005 BC. He used a period of seven years to build it. It was sitted on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem and the Israelites worshipped gladly in it for many years.This beautiful temple was destroyed and the worshippers then, the Israelites, were carried away. LESSON OBJECTIVES To know what God’s temple is. To know what necessitates building houses for God. To know why the first temple was destroyed. To know believer’s responsibilities in building God’s house. To encourage believers to participate in building God’s house BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY THE TERM GOD’S TEMPLE? Hos.8:14; Lk.19:45-47; Acts 2:46; 3:3; 1 Cor.3:16-17; 2 Cor.6:16The word temple was translated from the Hebrew word Heykai which means a palace or tabernacle of worship. Temple therefore, means a large public building where people worship. There could be some apartments in them where the priests could live-in to allow for nearness to it and quicken calls on them for service in their daily ministration.However, temple could mean two major things in Christianity. The first instance, it means a place or house of worship of our God Almighty. In other words, it is a building or tent where believers gather to have fellowship and render praise and thanks to the LORD regularly.The more significant meaning of the word temple is the body of the Christian person. 1 Cor.6:19-20. God made it clear that every believer should keep his body clean and free from pollution because he (God, the Holy Spirit) dwells in it. It is clear that God does not live in buildings made with hands (Acts 17:24). He lives in a purified human body which He made and cleansed Himself for His daily use. Right from the time of old, God has always emphasized the need for man to sanctify himself before He moves in man. QUESTION 2) WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM?Deut. 7:25-26; 11:16-17; 2 Chron.7:21-22; 28:21-25God does not just punish people for committing sins or offences. He usually spells out first what and what one must and must not do. When men commit evil, God usually warns them to correct their ways. If such warning is not heeded, He punishes the offender (Deut.28).God applied these same principles in dealing with the Israelites. He did forewarn them and called them to repentance. The temple was built in seven years under the leader-ship of King Solomon (1 Kgs 6). It was destroyed by the Babylonians led by the great King Nebuchadnezzar. (2 Kings 25). The reason for which God allowed the heathen Babylonians to succeed in destroying the temple was sin in...

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THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (PART 2), SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2024

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THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (PART 2), SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2024

CENTRAL THOUGHTAligning with God’s will, plan and purpose remain the only way for an individual to receive and enjoy God’s blessings. TEXT: 1 CHRONICLES 13:1-14; 15:1-16. INTRODUCTION:We saw in the first part of this lesson how the children of Israel assumed that the presence of the Ark of God with them in the battlefield would guarantee them victory despite their life of sin. They learned the hard way that God cannot (and should not) be taken for granted. They were defeated in the battle and God allowed the Ark of the Covenant to be captured by the Philistines. Thus, believers today should learn from their experience that we cannot make a practice of sin and expect God’s presence to remain with us. The responsibility is ours to walk before God in holiness so that His presence with us can continuously be guaranteed.In this second part of the lesson, we will discover what befell the Philistines while the ark was with them. They soon found out that the God of Israel is the Almighty God and He alone deserves worship. The experience of the Philistines forced them to carry the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel on their own. Let us prepare our hearts to appropriate the truths derivable from this lesson. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) HOW DID THE PHILISTINES TREAT THE ARK OF GOD AND WHAT WAS GOD’S REACTION TO THEIR ACTION? (1 SAM 5:1-12).When the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they brought it first to the city of Ashdod. In Ashdod, they brought the Ark to the house of Dagon, the god of the land and set the Ark of God by it. It appears by their action that they were equating the God of Israel to the god of their land. They went to sleep but when the priests and the people of Ashdod woke up in the morning, they found to their amazement that Dagon, their god “ was fallen upon his face to the earth before the Ark of the LORD….” (1 Sam 5:3). The people, rather than understand the inferiority and nothingness of their god before the Almighty God of Israel, decided to set Dagon in his place again. When they woke up the following morning, they found out that a worse thing had befallen their god. “…. Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hand were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him” (1 Sam 5:4).Apart from what befell Dagon, it is written in Scripture that the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod. God destroyed them and smote them with hemorrhoids. Sickness came upon Ashdod and its environs (1 Sam 5:6).The people of Ashdod cried out that the Ark of God cannot stay with them. The Lords of the Philistines met and decided to take the Ark of God to the city of Gath, A worse situation befell the people of Gath. (See 1 Sam 5:9)The Ark was then taken by the Philistines from Gath to Ekron. The “Ekronites” cried out saying “… they have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people”...

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September 18th, 2022
The Excellency of God’s word ( Part 1)
Central Thought: God’s word is forever settled and will prosper.
Hymn: Thy word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord.
Text: Psalm 119; Isaiah 55. (Reading Text Psalm 119:1-24)
Introduction:
Men who recognize the efficacy of the word of God by allowing His will to
be done in their lives have always beaten all odds and excelled. Joseph
went from slavery to be an important leader in Egypt because he preferred
the way of God, obeyed Him and was testified of by Pharoah to be “a man
in whom the spirit of God is” (Gen.41:38). Daniel ruled in Babylon and
prospered because he believed and trusted in the word of God continually:
“an excellent spirit was found in him” (Dan.6:3). Hananiah, in obedience to
Mishael and Azariah refused to worship any other gods besides the God of
Israel and rose from the fiery furnace to governorship position. Moses
forsook Pharoah’s palace and against all odds obeyed God’s word to
deliver Israel from Egypt. Each of these personalities portray the
supremacy of God’s word. Obeying God’s word always produces result that
far exceed the highest that can be achieved through any other way, thought
or decision. No wonder God says in Isa.55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts”.
The bible is God’s written word and will, Jesus Christ is His word made
flesh, being “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). God’s spoken word
brought the world into being. It’s forever the same, immutable and
inexhaustible. The psalmist was persecuted by men of rank and authority,
who ridiculed his beliefs, seeking to put him to shame and make him give
up his faith. But he strengthened himself by meditating on the word of the
Lord, which to him was comfort, his prized possession, his rule of life, his
resource for strength-all of which drove him to desire it now as it was then.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe.
Lesson Objectives:

Posted by on 10:44 am in Uncategorized | Comments Off on September 18th, 2022
The Excellency of God’s word ( Part 1)
Central Thought: God’s word is forever settled and will prosper.
Hymn: Thy word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord.
Text: Psalm 119; Isaiah 55. (Reading Text Psalm 119:1-24)
Introduction:
Men who recognize the efficacy of the word of God by allowing His will to
be done in their lives have always beaten all odds and excelled. Joseph
went from slavery to be an important leader in Egypt because he preferred
the way of God, obeyed Him and was testified of by Pharoah to be “a man
in whom the spirit of God is” (Gen.41:38). Daniel ruled in Babylon and
prospered because he believed and trusted in the word of God continually:
“an excellent spirit was found in him” (Dan.6:3). Hananiah, in obedience to
Mishael and Azariah refused to worship any other gods besides the God of
Israel and rose from the fiery furnace to governorship position. Moses
forsook Pharoah’s palace and against all odds obeyed God’s word to
deliver Israel from Egypt. Each of these personalities portray the
supremacy of God’s word. Obeying God’s word always produces result that
far exceed the highest that can be achieved through any other way, thought
or decision. No wonder God says in Isa.55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts”.
The bible is God’s written word and will, Jesus Christ is His word made
flesh, being “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). God’s spoken word
brought the world into being. It’s forever the same, immutable and
inexhaustible. The psalmist was persecuted by men of rank and authority,
who ridiculed his beliefs, seeking to put him to shame and make him give
up his faith. But he strengthened himself by meditating on the word of the
Lord, which to him was comfort, his prized possession, his rule of life, his
resource for strength-all of which drove him to desire it now as it was then.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe.
Lesson Objectives:

To understand what God’s word is.To know why the written word of God should be appreciated.To appreciate the relevance of God’s word.Bible Truth:Q1. What is God’s word?The bible is God’s written word and promise to men. It has been given toguide, instruct and comfort man in life’s journey. From the varioussymbols with which the Bible has been illustrated we see the need tostudy, know and do the word of God. Like a two-edged sword (Heb.4:12)the Bible pierces the heart of the hearer; like a hammer (Jer.23:29) it ispowerful and breaks the resistance of the hearer; like a fire (Jer,20:9;23:29) it is a burning word consuming the dross in the hearer; while likea seed (1 Peter.1:23) the Bible is a living word regenerating the hearer.Moreover, in branding the Bible a mirror, its ability to faithfully reveal theindividual to himself is portrayed (James.1:23-25). This same word issaid to be a lamp and a light (Ps.119:105), illuminating and guiding thebeliever day by day. As food, (1 Peter.2:2; Heb.5:12-14; 1Cor.3:2), theBible is nourishment feeding the soul. The word of God thereforeconvicts, regenerates, reveals, illuminates and nourishes the individual.It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof , for correction, for instruction inrighteousness (2Tim.3:16).There is need to study to show oneself approved as Paul instructedTimothy (1Tim.2:15-16). Until you “receive with meekness the engraftedword which is able to save your souls” (James.1:20) you remain “dead insins and trespasses” (Eph.2:1). Therefore, the word of God could besaid to be that eternal will, which when we know and obey, we stayalive, grow and all the works of our hands prosper.The word which was at the beginning, which was with God and whichwas God (John.1:1) “…. Was made flesh and dwell among us….full ofgrace and truth”. This is the personification of the word of God and isJesus Christ our Lord. God has magnified this word above His name(Psalm.138:2). The Lord says of His word in Isa.55:11 “…. It shall notreturn unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and itshall prosper in the thing whereto I send it”. This is infallibility which isGod’s exclusive preserve. “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled inheaven” (Psalm.119:89). Therefore God’s word is God.Q2. Why should the Bible be appreciated?The Bible, also called the Scriptures or the writings, or the word of Godis an authoritative revelation, written form of God’s nature and purpose.It comprises sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation; 39 in the oldtestament and 27 in the new testament. They are all written by the sameauthor, the Holy Spirit, and have one message. There is no other booklike it. It is believed that between 36 and 40 different writers were used,written over a period of some, 1,600 years by all sorts of men, includingshepherds, kings, fishermen, and philosophers, they never contradictedone another, but all are in perfect agreement and harmony. The Biblewas originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Moses, writing1600 years before the last book of the Bible was penned, was just asmodern and scientific as Paul’s, John’s or any other author or presentday investigator. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”(2Tim.3:16), man by himself could not have written the Bible. Yet manhas tried to ban, burn and bury the Bible. It is alive and available topreach the funeral of any person or nation who wants to do away...

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