Church Construction 2013

May 2013 - Planting the Garden

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The Man Zacchaeus, 2/17 – 2/22, 2014

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The Man Zacchaeus Memory Verse:   Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”.     Daily Devotional:   Monday – Only Jesus can save.  Acts 4:12 Tuesday – God is not a respecter of persons.  Acts 10:38 Wednesday – Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost.  Luke 5:30-31 Thursday – Christ satisfies all sincere seekers.  Matthew 5:6 Friday – Christ can save all despite the gravity of their sins.  Luke 10:9-10 Saturday – Christ truly loves all sinners.  Luke...

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The Man Zacchaeus, February 16, 2014

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The Man Zacchaeus   Central Thought: All who seek Jesus Christ earnestly find Him and are made whole. Text: Luke 19:1-10 Introduction:   Zacchaeus was very desperate, hence he did not only despise his personality but suppressed shame, humiliation, public comments, side talks and desperately sought for the Lord and Savior of the world.  He was very conversant with the events around him and made good use of the environment opportunities, in this case a sycamore tree, he had.  This paid off and enabled him to know the Lord, see Him and receive all the possible physical and spiritual benefits available to man from the Master.   Zacchaeus as a rich man would not have bothered to get the truth, and get carried away with his riches to buy his way through and acquire for himself church titles and high seat which could not have gotten him a place in God’s kingdom on the Day of Judgment.   Today, sinners are deceived to come to the house of God the way they are pretending to get them converted.  As soon as they start attending the church gathering, they feel good without being properly and thoroughly discipled by the leaders; so, many get missing in the church having seen themselves to be better than so many in the gathering who are already leaders.  Thus, they see no reason any more to repent and be converted.  Christ actually accepted Zacchaeus, but encouraged him to get fully converted.  Zacchaeus’ volunteered restitution was evidence of his rebirth through Christ ministration to him.   This lesson therefore, would address man’s need for salvation, how to get saved, why Christ came and the evidence of true salvation.   Questions and Answers   1. Who was Zacchaeus? Luke 19:2, 5, 8   Zacchaeus simply means pure.  This may imply that his parents expected him to be of a pure disposition in life.  Thus, his life ambitions might have been influenced greatly by economic and employment circumstances which compelled him to become a tax collector and a seemingly sinful public enemy. He was described as a “chief” tax collector.  He thus must have been one of the chief inspectors of taxes of his time, to the Roman Empire – the then World Super Power, assigned to the Jewish territory.  This made him to be hated by the Jews who saw him as an agent of the Romans’ task-masters whose activities afflicted them with financial and economic pains.  The Roman tax collectors got much from the people and remitted less to their masters and became affluent with the excess instead of reducing the payers’ burdens.   2. What was Zacchaeus’ sincere desire towards Jesus Christ? Luke 19:3    Zacchaeus sincerely sought to see Jesus Christ, to know who Christ was as a person, the miracle working ability in Him as well as the inherent power with which He saves sinners.  He must have heard about Christ from people who benefited from Him, so his expectation was very high.  He admitted the facts about himself, exposed the secrets about his sinful life to the Lord who sees clearly even in the thickest darkness. His humility and truthfulness made room for him as he accepted the truth, confessed his sins and voluntarily settled at making restitution.  Thus, he eventually got...

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The Woman Called Rebecca, February 9, 2014

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The Woman Called Rebecca   Central Thought: Our actions must be guided by the word of God and the fear of the Lord.   Text: Genesis 24:15-25; 27:1-46   Introduction:   Rebecca was the young woman who became the wife of Isaac, Abraham’s son.  She came from a well-to-do family in Mesopotamia, now North-eastern Syria.  She was the daughter of Bethel, a relative of Abraham; her family background is given in Genesis 22:20-23.  Rebecca’s humility and hospitality earned her favor before Eliezer, Abraham’s servant.  It was common courtesy to give a drink to a stranger, but it took added character to also fetch water for ten thirsty camels.  In this study, we shall be looking at her character and attitude, with the view of deriving some lessons.   Questions and Answers   1. Who was Rebecca in the Bible? Genesis 24:15-16, 18-20, 24 & 67   Rebecca was the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah which she bare unto Nahor, Abraham’s brother.  She became the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Rebecca was dutiful, chaste, respectful, humble, loyal, loving, obedient, hospitable, good, smart, strong, wise and faithful.   2. How did Rebecca treat Abraham’s servant, Eliezer?  Is there any lesson here? Genesis 24:15-25; Leviticus 19:34; Hebrews 13:1-2   Rebecca treated Abraham’s servant well.  She fit into Eliezer’s prayer and did according to all his desires regarding the woman what was to marry his master’s son.  She did not mind whether he was a stranger, she treated him respectfully. We should prayerfully do good to all that come across our way for we may at the same time entertain angels unawares. However, we should be careful the way we receive strangers today because many people especially believers have suffered untold hardship spiritually and physically while trying to show hospitality.  We should be wise and prayerfully allow God to lead us to those we can entertain as He did to Rebecca.  There is no doubt that satan has dispersed his demons and human agents to counter God’s plan of hospitality but God also is there to give His children grace to discern, and wisdom to reject demonic strangers.   3. As a wife, how was Rebecca to Isaac? Is there any lesson for today’s woman here?   ‘And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and took Rebecca and she became his wife and loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death’.  Rebecca was a wife to Isaac and comforted him.  Wives of today should be a source of comfort to their husbands.  She was loyal and submissive to her husband in the face of challenges. In situations of delayed child bearing, we should encourage ourselves with the scripture, Deuteronomy 7:14, ‘. . . there shall not be male or female barren among you. . .’ Believers are expected to solely depend on God who has promised that there shall be no barrenness.   Rather that trading blames, partners should pray for each other as Isaac entreated the Lord for Rebecca, Genesis 25:20-21.  Patience is also required by those who have such a challenge in their homes seeing that God is faithful to fulfill His promise in His own time.  Sarah, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Hanna are all examples of God’s Faithfulness.  We have also...

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The Woman Called Rebecca, 2/10 – 2/15, 2014

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The Woman Called Rebecca     Memory Verse:   Hebrews 13:2 – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”.   Daily Devotional:   Monday – Maintain godly character.  Genesis 24:15-20, 1 Timothy 6:6 Tuesday – God rewards faithfulness. Wednesday – Children are God’s gifts, wait on Him.  Psalm 127:3-5 Thursday – Be hospitable.  Hebrews 13:2-3; Genesis 18:2-10 Friday – God answers prayers. Isaiah 58:9; Psalm 65:2, 99:6 Saturday – God will keep His word and promises. Isaiah...

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 2), February 2, 2014

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 2)   Central Thought: The believer who inquires from the Lord enjoys the benefit of being guided by God.   Text: 1 Samuel 23:1-12, 30:7-8; Numbers 27:1-7; Joshua 9:3-15   Introduction:   God has made provision for His children to be properly guided in making choices, decisions and taking necessary actions.  However it is the believer who seeks such guidance that will enjoy the benefits of being guided by the Lord.  It is therefore needful for the children of God to always inquire from Him.   Questions and Answers   1. What are some of the things that hinder us from inquiring from the Lord? Some of the things that hinder the believer from seeking GOD’s counsel (or inquiring from HIM) on specific matters include:   a. Love of the world, John 2:15-17. When a believer has hidden love in his heart for the things of the world, the tendency will be for such a believer to do things to please and satisfy himself.  Such a mindset will hinder the believer from inquiring from GOD for fear that GOD may give him directions contrary to his personal ways, ideas or methods of achieving results.   b. Greed and covetousness. Greed and covetousness is also a hindrance to our ability to inquire from the LORD or seek His counsel on the issues of life.  In some situations, even when such counsel is sought, the desire for gain may rob us of actualizing the benefits of such counsel.  This was the situation with Balaam, Numbers 22; Revelation 2:14.   c. Selfishness, selfish interests & pride of life. In some situations, the desire to promote oneself hinders believers from inquiring from GOD as regards what to do when faced with life situations. The desire to be recognized above others makes people employ means that are not scriptural to achieve their set objectives.  Some believers while pursuing political offices which they perceive will bring them to the “limelight” ignore biblical principles provided they achieve their aim.  They do not bother to inquire from GOD or allow HIM work out HIS will in the matter.  They claim that they do not want to leave things to chance.  No wonder many in such situations have made shipwrecks of their faith and Christian commitment.  Clearly they were propelled by the “pride of life”, 1 John 2:16.   d. Sin. A believer who has an inclination to ungodly habits or makes a practice of sin will certainly be hindered from inquiring from the LORD or seeking GOD’s counsel on life matters.   e. Other. The class is free to mention and discuss some other factors that hinder believers from inquiring from the LORD. In concluding this section, it is needful to state that the only way to overcome these hindrances is for the believer to live a life of total surrender to the LORD JESUS CHRIST; recognizing that while enjoying the benefits of being a son to the FATHER through the LORD JESUS, he must also accept the responsibilities of being a slave to the MASTER.   2. Consider some examples of people in scripture who inquired from the Lord? The scripture is full of examples of people who inquired form the LORD before making decisions. Some of them include:   a....

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 2), 2/3 – 2-8, 2014

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 2)   Memory Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths”.   Daily Devotional: Monday – Hindrance to inquiring from the Lord.  1 John 2:15-17 Tuesday – Consequence of not inquiring from God.  Joshua 9 Wednesday – Example of inquiring from the Lord.  Numbers 27:1-7 Thursday – Example of inquiring from the Lord.  1 Samuel 23:1-12 Friday – Example of inquiring from the Lord. Luke 6:12-16; Matthew 26:36-46; 1 Peter 2:21 Saturday – Benefit of inquiring from the Lord. 2 Samuel 23:1-12,...

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 1), 1/27 – 2/1, 2014

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 1) Memory Verse:   Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths”.   Daily Devotional:   Monday – Guided by the Word. Psalms 119:9, 11 & 105 Tuesday – Guided by the Holy Spirit. John 14:26, 15:26; Romans 8:14 Wednesday – Choosing Christian leaders. Acts 1:15-26, 6:1-6 Thursday – Guided by the Holy Spirit. John 14:26; 15:26 Friday – Guidance through manifestations of Spiritual Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Saturday – Guidance from Christian leaders. Acts...

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 1), January 26, 2014

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Inquire from the Lord (Part 1)   Central Thought: The believer who inquires from the Lord enjoys the benefit of being guided by God.   Text: 1 Samuel 23:1-12, 30:7-8; Numbers 27:1-7; Joshua 9:3-15   Introduction:   Anyone living in this world is confronted daily with the issues of life.  Some of these issues may be normal experiences of human beings while some occur suddenly or unexpectedly.  Whether usual or unusual, many of these issues of life require decisions, actions to be taken and choices to be made.  It is at such moments that the limitation of man’s knowledge becomes evident.  Certainly the knowledge of man is grossly limited concerning the past, present and future of both himself and the situations around him.   Questions and Answers   1. What does it mean to inquire from the Lord? Numbers 27:5 The word ‘inquire’ as defined in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English means “to ask someone for information”.  On arriving to a city, a traveler may inquire or seek information from people in regards as to how he can get to his desired destination.  A student in a class may seek to know from his teacher the proper books he may need so as to excel in his study.  These examples appear simple and ready answers are available.  However there are issues of life for which answers may not be readily available.  Also in some of such situations answers based on man’s knowledge become inadequate and at times complicate matters when followed. The believer is therefore expected to cultivate the habit of inquiring from the Lord in all situations of life, inclusive of matters we consider simple or complex as human beings.  It is good for us to know His mind and follow it.  In Numbers 27:1-7, Moses was confronted with a situation in regards to the inheritance of Zelophehad.  Zelophehad died without a son but he had daughters.  The daughters came to Moses to ask that the inheritance of their father be passed to them. This looked like a difficult request because by the law the inheritance was meant for sons.  The Scripture says, “and Moses brought their cause before the Lord”, Numbers 27:5.  Moses went to inquire of the Lord on what to do.  The Lord gave him an answer.  “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them”, Numbers 27:7. Therefore to inquire from the Lord means asking the Lord for direction on what to do in a particular situation.  It involves seeking information from Him concerning a particular situation.  It also implies seeking His counsel on a particular matter.  Thus the purpose of inquiring from the Lord is to receive guidance in regards to what to do in any situation.   2. How do we inquire form the Lord? Some of the ways we may inquire from the Lord include: a. Studying HIS word, the Holy Bible. God’s mind is revealed in HIS word, the Holy Bible.  In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we read ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of god, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be...

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Ambassadors of Christ, 1/20-1/25, 2014

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Ambassadors of Christ Memory Verse 1 Timothy 6:14 – “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”    Daily Devotional Guide: Monday – We are reconciled and recruited into the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18 Tuesday – Pray always for all. Ephesians 6:18 Wednesday – Obedience to God is the proof of godliness. 2 Samuel 15:22 Thursday – Knowing God’s mind enables effective ambassadorship.  Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:14-16 Friday – Ask God for the Holy Ghost renewal power today.  Acts 1:8 Saturday – We shall give account of our deeds to God someday.  Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:12; 1 Timothy...

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Ambassadors of Christ, January 19, 2014

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Ambassadors of Christ   Central Thought:  Believers are Christ’s Ambassadors (representatives) on earth.   Text:  2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 6:19-24   An ambassador is any authorized representative of a country, church or organization, etc. He may be likened to a salesman.  The way and manner he represents his master, business or organization, to a very great extent, determines the level of acceptance he experiences from his customers and of course, the level of patronage and success in his trade. Ambassadors are like models. If they change their posture, they both misrepresent their country and misdirect all those relying on them. The Lord our god is not just looking for representatives buy loyal, truthful, reliable and very tenacious ones to lift high the banner of the heavens not only to greater heights, but in such a way to attract the thirsty hearts for salvation. A true ambassador therefore, must live very transparent life worthy of emulation and free from all possible accusations from the devil and his cohorts. The ambassadors of Christ are the citizens of heaven and need always to remain as the true representatives of heaven on earth, on daily basis.  A good ambassador of Christ would not only be loved and respected on earth, but also be immensely rewarded by His master on the last day – the day of reckoning.   Questions and Answers 1.  Who is an ambassador? Literally, an ambassador is a citizen of a country sent to represent his country in another country.  He is thus, a chosen one assigned with the responsibilities of keeping and spreading the interest of his country which he represents in an acceptable manner as instructed him.  An ambassador is a human being and thus, has his likes and dislikes, personal goals, objectives and aspirations but restricts himself and personal interests to that of his country.  Thus, all personal interests conflicting against this country’s must be jettisoned. The ambassador guides his utterances and conducts, to ensure he does not misrepresent his nation.  He is the voice of his nation in the foreign land and his actions are backed by his country.  He needs therefore to get clearance from his home country over any issue he is not clear about. In like manner, believers are ambassadors of Christ on earth.  They also have a responsibility not to misrepresent Him.  They need to hear from God always so as to be able to represent Him effectively.   2.  What qualifies one to be an ambassador? Romans 10:8-10; John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17 No one can be allowed to represent a nation of which he is not a true citizen.  To be a true ambassador of Christ on earth therefore one has to be genuinely born again, looking unto Christ for all needs and completely focusing on Him. As good ambassadors, believers ought to represent Christ in all that they say, think or do daily.  In our homes, churches, offices, business places, groups, fellowships, we should ensure that our thoughts whether spoken or imagined, with our conducts, glorify God at all times as true ambassadors of Christ.   3.  What are the duties or responsibilities of Christ’s ambassadors? Romans 1:16; Hebrews 11:24-27; Matthew 5:13-16; John 2:15 Christ ambassadors are charged with the duties or responsibilities of dethroning all ungodliness and evil...

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