Church Construction 2013

May 2013 - Planting the Garden

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PLEASING THE LORD, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025

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PLEASING THE LORD, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTWe were created to please God and do His will. TEXT: COLOSSIANS 1:9-11, JOHN 4:34, HEBREWS 11:6 INTRODUCTION:At conversion, a repentant sinner is forgiven and washed clean to begin a new life. His ambitions and aspirations are re-ordered as he contemplates on how to please God before anything else. We were created for His pleasure and the reason for our existence is to keep doing His will (Revelation 4:11). There must be real agreement between out professed faith and our practical life. This harmony is a manifestation of our willingness to please God. It involves the prayerful discharge of our duties.The Christian race is a call to the service of God, where the means and the methods are determined by God as revealed in His Word. Our lives must be primarily patterned to seek His pleasure. This is the only way our lives will count now and hereafter. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this study are as follows: To explain what it means to please the Lord. To discuss the place of faith, grace, and obedience in pleasing the Lord. To identify some Bible characters who pleased the Lord and others who did not. To enumerate attitudes and habits that will enable one to please God. To know the consequences of not pleasing God and the benefits of pleasing Him. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PLEASE GOD?To please God is to do things according to His will. It begins with being reconciled to God by believing in His son Jesus Christ and putting our faith in His finished work on calvary. It is to live according to the will and purpose of God, and to become an agent of God’s kingdom here on earth.Pleasing the Lord is to live a life that is governed by the word of God, the Spirit of God and the love of God which all together results in pleasing God. It is to do things that will delight God on a continuous and consistent manner.Pleasing God shows the core/pillar/pivot of our relationship with God because it is the primary reason for our existence. QUESTION 2) DISCUSS THE PLACE OF FAITH, GRACE, AND OBEDIENCE IN PLEASING THE LORD.Ephesians 2:6-10, Hebrews 11:6, 13:20-21 Pleasing God is beyond mere compliance to a set of rules and regulations. It is more or less an exercise that has divine backing, provision, and expectation.Faith is the attitude by which we are projected into relationship with the Father through the Son. By this we enter into communion with God and become pleasing and acceptable to Him.Grace is the divine provision which qualifies us to approach God so that our sinful nature may receive mercy and forgiveness. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins and brings us into the position of fellowship with God.Obedience is the practical manifestation of faith, and it is required of every believer by God.Faith, grace and obedience are key elements in our resolve to please God. Obedience is the practical expression of faith, while faith is the positive attitude by which we tap into the grace of God. QUESTION 3) DISCUSS HOW THE FOLLOWING BIBLE CHARACTERS PLEASED THE LORD.• Noah (Genesis 6:8-9,22, Hebrews 11:7)He was described as a just and perfect man who had fellowship with God. He pleased God...

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EZRA – THE REVIVALIST PT. II, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2025

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EZRA – THE REVIVALIST PT. II, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTSouls will be drawn to God when believers are alive (active, fervent) in the Spirit. TEXT: EZRA 10:1-17INTRODUCTION:In last week’s lesson, our focus was on revival. Ezra first experienced a personal revival by saturating himself with the word of God and spending time in prayers. Revival is a time in which we experience a deep sense of remorse, guilt, and pain for our sins. Repentance/ confession, and forsaking of the same, leads to a refreshing experience of the healing work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, personal cleansing from sin, restoration to fellowship with the Lord, and the blessings of His peace, joy, and victory can be experienced by the individual believer who avails himself of God’s gracious provisions. We can experience this daily as we give ourselves to the studying of and obedience to the Word.Ezra was a scribe who gave himself to the public reading and teaching of the Word of God. His teachings led to the repentance of the people so that they were ready to do away with the strange wives and the off springs that came by such union. As we conclude our study on the character of Ezra, we shall examine in this lesson those character traits that made him to succeed as a priest and revivalist. LESSON OBJECTIVESThis lesson is intended to accomplish the following objectives: To discover and learn from the afflictions of Ezra in God’s presence To understand that repentance involves taking positive actions To establish that there is hope for the repentant person To appreciate the results of a revival in an individual and church To discover the lessons we can learn from the character of Ezra BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF EZRA’S SELF AFFLICTION IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD?Ezra’s self-affliction, remorse, and confession in the presence of God led to the confession of sin, repentance, contrition, and a religious awakening by the people. in verse one of our text, we see that after he had confessed their sins, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, that a very great congregation of men, women, and children gathered before him and wept deeply for their sins. Thus, there was a great remorse amongst the people. The people were struck with guilt and pain as a result of their disobedience to the word of God. They acknowledged their sin and decided to do something about it.In the book of Acts 2:37, we see the response of the crowd that gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. On hearing the words of Peter, they were pricked in their heart and said to Peter, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”When we are truly and genuinely sorry for our sins, it must promote a response from us to repent and forsake it. Most people acknowledge their sins; even go as far as confessing them but fall short of repentance because they are not ready or willing to pay the price for repentance. Confessions is not enough; we must make concrete efforts to stop the sin and deal with the consequences. QUESTION 2) DISCUSS THE ACTIONS WE MUST TAKE IN REPENTANCE.The solution to their disobedience was not just in the wailing and feeling of guilt and remorse, it required a positive action. The people must act to...

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EZRA – THE REVIVALIST PT. 1, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2025

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EZRA – THE REVIVALIST PT. 1, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTRevival comes when we humble ourselves before God. TEXT: EZRA 9:1-15INTRODUCTION:In last week’s lesson we learned about the preparation made by Ezra to return to Jerusalem. Ezra, being a priest and scribe, knew that God’s people, who had been away from their place of worship, would need help in getting back in touch with their spiritual practices. So, he studied the scriptures so hewould know what God expected from His people when they return home. However, on arriving in Jerusalem, the news he received was so devastating that it was like a sword that pierced his heart. He tore his clothes, plucked his hair and beard, appalled at what God’s people had done again. Hisreaction was to kneel in the dirt of the temple courts till evening with hands outstretched, face down, pleading with God for mercy. The people who saw him wailing and in anguish of spirit gathered around him weeping over their disobedience and thus began a revival that would have a lasting consequence on the people.Revival has never been known in all generations to come easy. The life of Ezra has shown that revival is the outcome of a combination of determination, self-cleansing, self-denial, intimate and unbroken fellowship with God, and compassionate love for the perishing. In this study, we shall consider how Ezra was able to achieve all these and how we can have and maintain personal revival in our daily lives. LESSON OBJECTIVESThis lesson is intended to accomplish the following objectives: To understand what revival is To identify the sins that can hinder revival To appreciate what is means to tremble at the word of God To understand how to get your life revived BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY THE WORD REVIVAL?The ordinary meaning of the word revival is to bring back to life or activate life, somebody or something that was once living. In other words, you can only revive somebody that was dead. In Rom. 14:9, Paul says “….Christ both died, and rose, and revived”. Thus, revival in this context refers to a ‘cold’, lethargic (sluggish, lazy, indifferent) believer being renewed in the spirit. It is a reigniting of theflame of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.Revival is not one of those special services we organize for the purpose of winning souls to Christ. That is evangelism, which relates to the unsaved and it involves giving life to those who are dead in sin. Revival, on the other hand, involves those who are born again, a spiritual reawakening of those who are alive in Christ but ‘cold’. Revival can involve either the whole local church, ministry, orindividual.When we speak of the revival that took place in the days of Ezra, we refer to a special season of heart searching when many believers simultaneously experience a deep, Holy Spirit conviction of their sins. It results in their confession and renunciation of sin (sometimes publicly). It culminated in a renewal of their dedication to the Lord. The whole experience often leads to the salvation of many. This typeof group or church revival is at God’s own chosen time. It could be a result of the heartfelt prayers of believers seeking for a move of the Holy Spirit.There is another type of revival – personal or individual revival, which is...

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EZRA – THE MISSIONARY, AUGUST 31ST, 2025

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EZRA – THE MISSIONARY, AUGUST 31ST, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTA spiritually well-fed soul is a good source of spiritual nourishment for others.TEXT: EZRA 7:1-28INTRODUCTION:After the defeat of the kingdom of Judah and the destruction of the Temple, the Israelites were carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon where they became slaves and servants to the Babylonians. Throughout this period, however, God did not abandon His people in accordance with the promises He made to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Thus, He continues to send them His prophets to comfort them by reminding them of His promises to their forefathers. One of such prophets was Jeremiah who prophesied their return from captivity after 70 years (Jer. 29:10). The Scriptures make us to understand that this was accomplished in three phases (groups). The first group to return from exile was led by Zerubbabel who began and completed the building of the temple after some confusion and delays (Ezra 1:6). The second group was led by Ezra with the task of establishing God’s people by correcting social ills prevailing amongst those who had returned earlier and the remnants. The third group was led by Nehemiah with the task of rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem. These leaders had one theme in common, that of rebuilding and restoring broken houses, lives, and city walls. We as believers are called to rebuild lives that have been broken and left desolate by the devil and consequences of sin. In the next few weeks, we shall be examining the character of Ezra who refused to be distracted but determined to fulfill his calling. It is our prayers that these lessons will motivate us to fulfillment in our calling in the house of God.LESSON OBJECTIVESThis lesson is intended to accomplish the following objectives: To know who Ezra was To understand that we can be encouraged by the Word to carry on an assignment for God To appreciate the value of integrity and trust To appreciate the value of our confidence in God. BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHO WAS EZRA (EZRA 7:1-6; NEH. 12:26)Ezra was the son of Seraiah, a descendant of Aaron the Chief Priest. He was both a priest and a scribe. In those days, priests were responsible for ministering at the altar and the scribes were involved in writing and transcribing the words of God. The fact that he was both a scribe and priest suggest that not only was he involved in handling the letters of the Law, but was also involved in its practical fulfillment. Ezra was also a teacher that was well versed in the Law of Moses given by the Lord God of Israel. As a teacher of the word of God, he was involved in ministering the word to the Jewish people while they were in exile and also when they returned to Jerusalem. His teachings must have been well known and respected by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, at the time the Jews were in captivity in a foreign land. Ezra, who led the second batch of exile returnees from Babylon, was a man of great moral strength, a revivalist, and faithful to God and His people. he knew how to get things done. He had the political knowledge to win a Persian king’s support for the trip to Jerusalem, the salesmanship to convince Jewish family leaders to go along,...

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 3, THROUGH HOLY LIVING, AUGUST 24TH, 2025

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 3, THROUGH HOLY LIVING, AUGUST 24TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTGod’s power is manifested through righteous and holy living.TEXT:ACTS 5:1-11; ROMANS 6:16-17; GALATIANS 5:19-23; 1 PETER 1:15-16 INTRODUCTION:In our earlier lessons, we discussed how God’s power is manifested through us in signs, wonders and miracles, and in the way we show love to one another. This concluding lesson on the manifestation of God’s power focuses on manifesting His power through righteous and holy living. The Lord Jesus conquered/defeated Satan who is the source/originator of sin. Through His death and resurrection, anyone who believes in Him experiences victory over sin. At conversion, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, Romans 8:16, and God’s righteousness is imparted to him and as he keeps following the directions of the Holy Spirit, he (the believer) enjoys a walk with God in holiness. Thus, the believer is empowered to live for Him in righteousness and holiness. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this lesson include:1.) Understanding that Satan is always the source of sin.2.) Knowing that the power for holy living comes from God.3.) Recognizing that holy living may attract persecution.4.) Knowing that holy living has benefits. BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHO IS THE SOURCE OF SIN?The source (originator) of sin as revealed in the Bible is the devil. In Genesis 3:1-7, we read of how he introduced sin to humanity and made Adam and Eve to fall from the position God placed them. The Lord Jesus described him as a “murderer from the beginning”, a liar and the father of lies, John 8:44. In Acts 5:3 we read, “But Peter said, Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…” It is also written in 1 John 3:8, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning…” It is clear from the Scriptures that Satan is the source (originator) of sin. However, the individual has a choice either to obey or disobey him. If a man yields himself to the devil, he becomes a servant of the devil. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”, Romans 6:16. QUESTION 2) WHERE DOES THE POWER FOR HOLY LIVING COME FROM?JOHN 1:12; ACTS 1:8; JOEL 2:28; ZECHARIAH 4:6The power to live a holy life does not come from any individual. We understand from Scriptures that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23, and that there is none righteous; no not one, Romans 3:10. David also confessed, “…in sin did my mother conceive me”, Psalm 51:5. The power to live a holy life comes from God. He empowers us to live for Him through the Holy Spirit which comes to live in us when we give our lives to Christ. The Holy Spirit produces in us the character of God (the fruit of the Spirit). See Galatians 5:22-23. Thus, the first step in living a holy life is to give one’s life to the Lord Jesus. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but...

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 2, MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER THROUGH EXPRESSION OF LOVE AND UNITY, AUGUST 17TH, 2025

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 2, MANIFESTING GOD’S POWER THROUGH EXPRESSION OF LOVE AND UNITY, AUGUST 17TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTGOD’s power is manifested through believers in CHRIST when they walk in love and live in unity. TEXT: JOHN 13:34-35; ACTS 2:44-47, 4:32-37; 1 CORINTHIANS 13 INTRODUCTION: Last week, we examined how believers can manifest GOD’s power through signs, wonders and miracles. GOD has empowered us by His Spirit and He is ever willing to use us to perform signs, wonders and miracles as His representatives on earth to His praise and glory alone. This second lesson in our series on manifesting GOD’s power focuses on the manifestation of GOD’s power by believers through expression of love and unity among them. Love and unity were key points in the teachings of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. He commanded us to love one another and prayed for our unity, John 13:34-35, 17:1 26. Indeed, GOD’s power will be revealed to the world when believers choose to walk in love and live in unity. LESSON OBJECTIVESThis lesson aims at helping us to:1.) Understand the meaning of love and unity.2.) Appreciate that loving one another is a command by the LORD.3.) Examine some characteristics of love.4.) Know how we can demonstrate love today.5.) Know that love promotes unity. BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY LOVE?Love as it relates to GOD involves total devotion of one’s being to the LORD and HIS service, Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:33-38. GOD expects our love for HIM to be total. We must love GOD above anyone and everyone else; we must also love HIM above anything and everything else. Love, as it relates to man, is wishing our neighbor or fellow human being the highest good in life and helping to pursue the realization of that good. This is what is considered “Agape” – loving the way GOD loves, Matthew 22:39-40. QUESTION 2) WHAT DOES UNITY MEAN IN BIBLICAL CONTEXT? Unity has to do with togetherness. This has to do with believers having the same mind on issues; pursuing the same goals and objectives in life. It has nothing to do with denominations becoming one in programs, ideas or doctrines; rather, it is a call on believers irrespective of denominations to see themselves as one and pursue the course of CHRIST on earth together. The LORD prayed for the unity of His Body – The Church in John 17. We must return to GOD’s original purpose of believers being of one mind, pursing the same goals and objectives in life. It is worth noting that the early church demonstrated both love and unity in their relationship. QUESTION 3) LOVE IS BOTH A COMMAND AND A SIGN OF DISCIPLESHIP.Believers are commanded to love GOD and to love one another, Matthew 22:37-39; John13:34; 1 John 3:23. God demonstrated for us when He gave His only Begotten Son to die for our sins. “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends”, John 15:13. We are expected to love GOD with the totality of our being. Our love for one another is to be derived from the love GOD has for us. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”, John 13:34. Also, we read in John 15:12, “this is my commandment, that ye love...

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 1, SIGNS ANDWONDERS, AUGUST 10TH, 2025

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THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S POWER – PART 1, SIGNS ANDWONDERS, AUGUST 10TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTGod’s will is that believers in Him will manifest His power to bring glory to His Name. TEXT: ACTS 3:1-16; MARK 16:15-18; LUKE 10:19 INTRODUCTION: God has always been interested in man’s welfare. Hence at the conclusion of creation, He handed over the entire creation to man and delegated to him authority (power) over creation, commanding him to have dominion over the earth and to subdue and replenish it, Genesis 1:26-28. When man sinned and lost that authority, GOD put in place an arrangement whereby the lost authority will be restored to man. Through the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of the LORD JESUS, man’s redemption was accomplished. Anyone therefore who believes in the LORD JESUS experiences salvation from sin and its consequences and they are restored into fellowship with GOD who delegates His authority (power) to him again as His representative on earth. GOD’s plan therefore is to manifest His power through the believer in many ways for the erring world to see and repent. GOD’S power can be manifested by the believer through signs and wonders. His power can also be manifested in the expression of love and unity by believers towards each other. GOD’s power can also be expressed or manifested by the believer in holy living. This first part of this series of lessons on “Manifestation of GOD’s power” (drawn from Acts chapters 3 to 5) focuses on manifesting His power in signs, wonders and miracles. LESSON OBJECTIVES:The objectives of this lesson include:1.) Understanding what power means in this context and who is to manifest this power.2.) Knowing the meaning of signs, and wonders and miracles. 3.) Examining the incidence recorded in Acts3.) and learning appropriate lessons.4.) Knowing what hinders us from manifesting GOD’s power in signs and wonders. BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1)WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY POWER IN THIS CONTEXT AND WHO IS TO MANIFEST IT?Power as used in the context of this lesson refers to supernatural power, that is the power that comes from GOD. We read in Matthew 10:1, “And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Also it is recorded in Luke 10:19, “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Mark 16:17-18 declares expressly, “And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” The LORD JESUS while on earth demonstrated GOD’s power for all to see, He healed the sick, cast out devils, raised the dead, fed the hungry, opened the eyes of the blind, the ears Notes: 35 of the deaf, etc. He also empowered His followers to exercise the same power and authority from GOD as revealed in the Scriptures above. Thus, GOD has delegated to the believer power, authority, and dominion over nature. By that power, the believer can change the course of nature and by that God-given authority, he...

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A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD, AUGUST 3RD, 2025

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A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD, AUGUST 3RD, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTGod’s desire is that we walk closely with Him. Hymn: “Oh for a closer walk with God” TEXT: GENESIS 3:3-8, 5:24; JOHN 13:21-26INTRODUCTION:Perhaps one of the greatest privileges anyone can have, is to walk with God. Men and women of God across generations, past and present; that made genuine marks in the work of God always had this testimony that they WALKED with Him. It involves a relationship with God the Father – as was Adam andEnoch, Genesis 3:8-11, 5:24; The Lord Jesus, as with John the apostle, John 13:23; and FELLOWSHIP with the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 13:14 and Philippians 2:1. A closer walk with God therefore entails a deeper realm and dimension of this relationship with the Godhead (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). Today the need for the call to a closer walk with God has become increasingly imperative. This is because the increasing rate at which Christians see to be vulnerable to the same “plague” their unbelieving counterpart are subjected has become worrisome. The covenant of blood, “. . . and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. . .” Exodus 12:13.This study seeks to help us return to the pathway of closely walking with God on a sustainable basis. LESSON OBJECTIVES1.) To know what it means to walk with the Lord.2.) To know how to develop a culture of closer relationship with God; and3.) To avail oneself of the blessed benefits of such a life. BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHAT DOES THE PHRASE “A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD” MEAN?The phrase immediately suggests that there is a GAP between where we are currently, and where we ought to be in matters of godliness. For example: (a) a Christians that claims to be born again and is still living actively in sin have a clear gap to fill; (b) a Christian that has been saved and refuses to go for water baptism by immersion has an obvious issue with God; (c) after water baptism, a Christian that refuses to seek the baptism in the Holy Ghost has a very dangerous gap to fill; (d) the “tongue talking” Christian that is not evangelizing, is not wise and is unproductive; and (e) the “tongue talking” Christian that cannot demonstrate both the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit is empty spiritually and carnal. The phrase alsosuggests that after identifying one’s true position, relative to where we ought to be, that we go to God in very sincere cry of ardent desire to return back to Him, Philippians 3:13 -The first step is having a very personal knowledge of God through the born-again experience enshrined in the salvation plan of God. This involves being decisive in putting away the old life, living a new one in Christ, that has the genuine fruit of sustained holiness and practical commitment to the propagation of God’s interest on earth. That admits you into the family of God, Colossians 1:12-14; -Fellowship with God. While this can be as dramatic as the physical interactive presence of God, which was with Adam in the garden of Eden, the intercessory session with angelic representatives of God as with Abraham, fellowship with God in the New Testament arrangement by God is MORE WITH THE HOLY GHOST, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19 and Philippians...

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AWAKE FROM SPIRITUAL SLUMBER, JULY 27TH, 2025

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AWAKE FROM SPIRITUAL SLUMBER, JULY 27TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHTChristians are to be spiritually alert and not asleep. TEXT: EPH. 5:11-15; REV. 3:1-3; 1 THESS. 5:4-9 INTRODUCTION:The word ‘slumber’ is defined by the Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary to mean; sleep, time when somebody is asleep. To sleep is the natural state of rest in which one’s eyes are closed, and the body is not active as well as the mind not being conscious. Rest in the form of sleep is good for the natural body. But spiritual slumber is a state of inactivity or dormancy in spiritual things. Believers that are not spiritually alert and have lost thought of the Lord’s return can be regarded as being in a state of sleep. Slumberor sleep is used as a metaphor for spiritual lethargy.Like sleep, a believer who slumbers is unconscious and cannot face spiritual realities. A person who is asleep spiritually is indifferent, inactive and not sensitive to spiritual things while conforming to this world. The world is full of darkness and sin. This could be described sadly as the spiritual state of some believers. There is a wake-up call for the believer to be awake and alert. Paul’s admonition that we should not sleep is based on the second coming of the Lord, Romans 13:11-12. Believers are to wake up and become alert. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this study are: To differentiate between spiritual slumber and spiritual deadness. To identify the signs of spiritual slumber. To know the dangers of spiritual slumber. To understand ways to escape from spiritual slumber. BIBLE TRUTH:QUESTION 1) WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL SLUMBER AND SPIRITUAL DEADNESS. MATTHEW 25:1-13Spiritual slumber is a state where one’s eyes are spiritually closed; he cannot perceive the things of God, and his/her mind is not responsive to God and God’s work. It also refers to those who have a reprobate mind and chose darkness instead of light. Matthew 25 vividly describes it as a state of unpreparedness by the virgins that slumbered and slept. They all set out to meet the bridegroom, but while they waited, they slumbered. They were no more responsive to their environment until the bridegroom came.The five wise that were fully armed and prepared were welcomed into the marriage feast while the five foolish were shut out.Just as it is with the natural sleep, that no one can say at the exact time in which he/she slept, so it is, with spiritual slumber. The believer that is in this state, started off as a child of God, but along the line, the vigor, strength, zeal and desire for God and all that is God’s gradually phases out. The things they once spoke against are now practiced and condoned by them. They also no more hear from God nor enjoy fellowship with God and the brethren. Doctrines that were cherished and upheld are dropped and put aside in the name of “it does not matter”.In contrast, the state of spiritual deadness is a state of complete separation from God, as physical death indicates a state of lifelessness, so it is with a person that is spiritually dead, he/she has no spiritual life with the Lord.This is the case of the unbeliever. Such a person is void of all that makes a Christian, he has lost touch with God, he/she might be religious...

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PRAISING THE LORD, PART 2, JULY 20TH, 2025

Posted by on 11:51 pm in Sunday School | Comments Off on PRAISING THE LORD, PART 2, JULY 20TH, 2025

CENTRAL THOUGHT Praises to God bring down His blessings. TEXT: PSALM 100, 150:1-6 INTRODUCTION:To praise is to say or write good things about someone. It is to express thanks, love or respect for God. Praise commends, glorifies, exalts, celebrates, lauds, worships or magnifies, especially by the attrition of perfections. God has awesome attributes which impact the lives of men on earth. He is the creator of man, who sent man into the world to emancipate and bear fruits. He watches over man and influences his life in diverse ways such as in protection, provision, promotion, preservation and salvation. He gives grace to those who please Him and these are those who honor Him with praises, Psalm 50:23. For man to get the best from God, he must praise Him, as a way of appreciating Him for His goodness. Even then, God has shown that He created man for His own glory, Isaiah 43:7. We should not forget that God is in everything that affects us to ensure that it ends in our good, Romans 8:28. Man is obligated, therefore, to habitually praise God. It is no surprise that David requested God to open his lips so that he could praise Him more and more, Psalm 51:15. Praising God should be expressive and demonstrable, which should easily evolve from how much God means to us. LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. To know how we should praise God 2. To emphasize when to praise the Lord. 3. To examine instances from Scriptures of the Power of praises BIBLE TRUTH: QUESTION 1) HOW SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD? PSALM 103:1-5 We should praise God expressively, honestly, faithfully and wholly. We must consider His personality and special works for us, which automatically draws soulful praise to Him. That was what Moses did for the victory at the Red sea and so was prompted to sign that “there is no god like the LORD GOD”, Exodus 15:11. It was so with Hannah such that, among others, she volunteered, “There is none holy like the LORD, there is none besides Him, and there is no rock like our God”, 1 Samuel 2:2. When we are gripped in such euphoric state, we let go of all things, including our problems, and then give quality praises to God. Indeed, if you prize your God highly; if you hold Him in high admiration, you can properly praise Him. We can do this praise in the following ways: -Soulfully, Psalm 103:1: Praise should be activated form the spirit of the inner being of the individual. -Wholeheartedly, Psalm 9:1: Praise should be done completely; sincerely; enthusiastically, and with determination. It should not be done doubtfully or in uncertainty. -Gladly, 2 Chronicles 29:30: Praises should be done with Joy and gladness so that it can arouse the interest of the One being praised. -Thankfully, Psalm 147:7: Praises should be given to God with thanksgiving. We must show gratitude by reflecting on the very purpose of the praise – the work that God did. -With Musical Instruments, Psalm 150:3-5: We should accompany our praises with musical instruments; even our palms, to make it joyful. Psalm 47:1-In Songs, Psalm 95:1-2: We should praise God in songs. Songs give expression to intention. -In Offering, 1 Chronicles 16:29: It should involve a sacrifice, such as money, that attests...

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