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Culture - Discipling Nations
Preacher: Pastor Laju Iren
Acts 19:10
The impact of the early church was evident and it is something to emulate, replicate and admire. The days of impact of the Gospel have not passed. There was an impact in medicine and because people were getting healed. There was also an economic impact (Acts 19:20).
There was also impact on leadership.
Acts 12:21-24
8 things that the early church did that culture could not ignore
1. It was a listening church. One of the first things the writer of Acts records is an instruction. Acts 1:4. Sometimes we are called to a time of consecration, and this involves moving with God’s timetable and not ours. The early church listened to God and His word. Acts 2:42 tells us that they devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles.
2. It was a united church. Acts 2:44. They always met everyday. John 13:35. Hebrews 10:25.
3. It was a powerful church. Doing ministry without the power of God is a big mistake. Don’t do ministry in your own power. Otherwise, you make yourself a target. We were never meant to execute the plan of God in our own might.4. It was a supplying church. There was a participation from the entire church. It wasn’t one star doing all the praying and exercising the gifts. It was the church. Ephesians 4:11-12. We must discern our place in the church and play our role.
5. It was a resilient church. It was not without its imperfections. They even fought and scattered the church over food. They had their weaknesses, struggles and persecutions. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.
6. It was a moving and a spreading church. Not only must there be a church that sinners can come to, there must be a church that goes to where the sinners are. Contact without contamination is the goal.
7. It was a loud church. Acts 2:1-3. They were loud in prayer, praise and boldness. In Acts 4:19-20, Paul and John who were imprisoned and beaten refused to stop speaking the Gospel in exchange for their release.
8. It was a purposeful church
Our purpose is Christ - to know Him and to make Him known. -
TACTICS: HOW TO CATCH MEN ❤️🔥
He emphasized that where the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. We were also made to understand that God's priority is SOUL WINNING.
Here are a few things we learnt:
📌 God's priority is salvation, Romans 10:1. There is a difference between what God can do and what God prioritises. God gives bread, but He is bread.
📌 Everyone considered a great man was someone who did something for God. Genesis 12:1-2. When God wants to use you, don't shy away. Consider it a blessing! Heb 11:33. Always think of what God can do through you.
📌 When you turn someone to righteousness, God calls you a star! Daniel 12:3. Your small input into a soul can go a long way in winning such soul. Never underestimate your impact.
📌 One of the reasons why church growth is not as progressive is because only a small percentage of members engage in soul winning. Be active in soul winning and play a part in church growth!
📌 Soul winning takes time. Fast and pray for that soul, invest in that soul. Remember, there is a party in heaven when a soul is won.📌 4 THINGS TO DO
1. Learn to pray for souls: When you pray for souls, divine encounters take place. Evangelism is warfare.
2. Disciple your children: The first place of calling is in the home. Proverbs 22:6
3. Invite people to church: Have at least 5 people you follow up constantly to come to church.
4. Keep at it: Soul winning takes tenacity and consistency. Don't assume that people aren't listening. Luke 15:7. -
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How to Pray During a Retreat.
Here are some key points:
📌Luke 11:1. The will of God isn’t always good versus bad it’s always good versus God.
📌The best way to pray is to “Pray for the will of God to be done”.
📌Psalm 106:15. The permissive will of God is a dangerous place to be. -
We received the powerful ministry of our apostle, Apostle Emmanuel Iren in the morning session🔥🔥
We learned that there has to be more to our devotion than the regular. We must set aside time to recalibrate in a retreat.
4 things you must do in a retreat:
📌 Cast your cares upon Him. Matthew 13:1-14. You must leave the place of prayer lighter than you came. Know that as long as you’re alive, there is hope for you in God. Romans 8:37.
📌 You must forgive. There are a few things that corrupt the human spirit, like unforgiveness.
2Corinthians 2:10-11. Matthew 6:14 . Every time you refuse to forgive, you give the enemy an advantage. -
‘Evangelism’ 🔥🔥
We learnt that the core of evangelism is sharing something we are passionate about, and just like how we talk about things that excites us, even more, we should be eager to share the good news.
📌 Here are some notable points from this sermon;
- To be an evangelist is to be zealous about any course.
- There is a sense to which everyone of us are passionate about something, so if you do not actively tell people about Jesus, that’s a passion problem.
- Evangelism is not just a treaty but a delight.
- It’s a sin to give God the barest minimum.
- One of the ways to radically change your walk with God, is when you realize you are an envoy.📌 Two things God is not;
1.) God is not a drug - There is more to Him than the healing He gives.
2.) God is not a wallet - There is more to Him than the money you seek.
In 2 Corinthians 5:14-19, Paul emphasizes the responsibility that Christ’s death bestows on us. We are now envoys, carrying the message of reconciliation.
📌 Four simple ways you can evangelize;
1.) Invite people to Church.
2.) Share materials - Sermons, books.
3.) Share personal testimonies.
4.) Direct communication - Just tell them about Jesus.
As we journey through this month and beyond, we should endeavor to share the message of the gospel to everyone around us.✨ -
ENVOY: TAKING TERRITORIES
This is the best way we can show true discipleship ✍🏾
Some highlights from the sermon:
📌The believer must learn to be abased and to abound. Philippians 4:10-13
📌Tough times present a great opportunity to show the world where our treasure is. Philippians 2:5
📌One of the most powerful ways to demonstrate discipleship is to live without possessions. Learn to be abased.
📌There is a secret unspoken rule - the more money you have, the more transcendent you become. Popular culture teaches you to be transcendent but as believers, we mustn’t adopt this lifestyle.
📌Put structure in your life so that no matter how rich you become, your life is still simple, and you must find a way to do that. STRUCTURES are important!📌 Make sure money doesn’t keep you away from evangelism or take you away from purpose. Romans 12:16
📌God prospers people. Psalms 104:14
📌Even the most diligent farmers rely on the resources God has created. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
📌 God can prosper a man through labor, gifts, relationships, divine healing, or favour
📌The role of prayer is to then activate all of the above! -
CURRENCY - THE ZEAL OF THE LORD
We learnt how the key things in the Bible are often emphasized to draw your attention and how God’s plan is sovereign.
Here are some key points to take note of:
📌 For many that received him, to them he gave the power to be called the sons of God. John 1:12
📌 This tells you there’s nothing special about you or intrinsic that makes you entitled to God’s plan and promises.
📌 Your relevance is in alignment to God’s sovereign plan. It’s aligning yourself to God’s purpose that makes you relevant.
📌 God is God-centered and committed to His own plan. Everyone who aligns with him will find their relevance in him, not the other way round.
📌 Greatness is not always in proportion to how much you pray. It’s for those who are the CALLED. Romans 8:28
📌 Understand that your purpose is not unique. Purpose is universal. What is unique to you is your assignment. Discover what God wants to do and align with it.Other key points to take notes of:
📌 What we call coincidence is the Providence of God.
📌 You can never take from a man what he got from a place of consecration. If you understand this, competition will die.
📌 Don’t compete when you should be collaborating.
Let this guide you as you step into this new week. Make a conscious effort to live a purposeful life - understanding what God will have you do and take action 🤗 -
Envoy: A life of Ambition'.🔥🔥
We learned fundamentally about two important questions that must be answered if we are to understand purpose.
1. What is worth living for?
2. What is worth dying for?
And in answering these questions, we learned that whatever is worth living for, is also worth dying for, which births purpose.
For us as Christians, we should believe the radical idea that death is gain. Philippians 1:21
Here are some more notable points from this sermon;
📌 Living a life of purpose is not easy, and you'll need to step out of your comfort zone to follow God fully.
📌 When you excel at what God created you to do, you're glorifying Him.
📌 Purpose will require grit, ambition, and audacity from you.
📌You must be brave at what God has called you to do and stop being obsessed with self-preservation.
As we step into this week, let us take practical steps to live for Christ, being ambitious for a selfless cause with the talents and gifts God has given us.🤗🤗 -
Purpose 101.
He explained that purpose refers to the reason why we were created.He went on to give us four principles of purpose from the book of Genesis Chapter 1:
📍 There is a sun before the sun: God wants us to understand that purpose comes first. Purpose takes preeminence over everything else. (Genesis 1:5)
📍 God is man's source: When God wanted to create man, He spoke to Himself, signifying that God is the root of our existence. If you live without God, you live life like the living dead. (Genesis 1:26)
📍 Man's first day is the Sabbath: God wants us to work from a place of rest. (Ephesians 2:8)
📍 Man is the image of God: Being called the image of God does not necessarily have anything to do with physical appearance but more with our function because God is spirit. This tells us that as believers, we are ambassadors of Christ, and everything we do, we do on His behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)He concluded by mentioning some signs that show we are walking in purpose:
✍🏾 The commitment of God to what you are doing.
✍🏾 Nobody can take from you what you obtained by consecration and sustained by altars because he whom God has blessed, no man can curse.
✍🏾 When consecration makes you, you are made, and no one can unmake you. -
Envoy: An Exceptional Life.”🔥🔥
He emphasized that purpose is a double-edged sword, providing clarity and direction while also setting boundaries. Matthew 15:24
Here are some key points from the sermon;
📌Purpose tells you what you must do and what you must not.
📌Purpose determines your boundaries. John 6:35
📌 Even when you know your purpose, waiting is essential. It’s important to wait for the right time, and discipline is required.
📌 Not every passion deserves your attention.
📌 Avoid pushing yourself prematurely into your future.
📌 Purpose defines and establishes boundaries.
📌 The church must protect its purpose and avoid straying from its primary calling Galatians 3:28, 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 -
Explore: Understanding the Scriptures.’ 🔥🔥
He emphasized three main points, namely:
📍 Proper Bible interpretation is spiritual warfare.
📍 You need a teacher.
📍 Interpretation is necessary.
On proper Bible interpretation as spiritual warfare, here are a few points to note:
- When it comes to warfare, the primary warfare in the Word of God is the battle of the mind.
- Knowledge is a powerful weapon of war. 2 Corinthians 2:11
- The devil will try to outwit you and catch you unawares.
- How you know you're under attack is when culture begins to change your perspective on what the word of God says.
- There must be a defense system to guard your heart because the devil is trying to fight there too. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
- Anything that makes you change your opinion about what God says is warfare.
On the point that you need a teacher, note the following:
- We need more people with the humility of the Ethiopian eunuch and teachers like Philip. Acts 8:29-31
- The Holy Spirit guides in corroboration to ensure what we hear is the truth.
- He gives us teachers who teach didactically. 2 Timothy 2:2
- We need faithful men who will teach faithfully to all men.
On the point that interpretation is necessary, note the following:
- It takes intentionality to interpret the Bible.
- The Bible must be rightly interpreted, as there is a wrong way to interpret it.4 Cs in Bible Interpretation:
📍 Context: Every text you read in the Bible was written to a particular people at a particular time, so to understand it, you must understand the underlying principle in all generations.
📍 Culture: Romans 16:16
The word of God as it applies culturally should be applied. This is where interpretation comes in.
📍 Communication (Language): John 3:16, 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:11
📍 Christ: The most important key for interpreting the Bible. Matthew 1:20-22, Acts 2:2-17
- The New Testament is a commentary on the Old Testament.
- How to unlock your Bible study is by looking at all the Old Testament quotes in the New Testament and going back to read them in context. -
IMAGING CHRIST ON PRAYER pt1
Text: Phil 2:5, Matt 20:26, Phil 2:9-10, John 6:33, Ezekiel 22:30.
NOTE
📌 If you want to image Christ, make your life about purpose, not about status.
📌 Your yardstick for measuring prosperity should be based on how much you have done for God.
📌 The paradox of God is that it is those who are poor in Spirit that inherit the kingdom of God. Only those who seek God find all things.
📌 In the kingdom, greatness is measured in service.
📌 Giving and generosity is God's, but you must make no mistake to be entitled.
📌 One of the paradox of life is that God uplifts the humble and resists the proud.
Your personal needs cannot be the epic center of your Christian life.
📌 You can't grow in God's kingdom unless you look beyond yourself.
📌 It is consecration to get to the point where you can live without all the needs you can meet (Matt 4:4).
📌 Your purpose on earth is to image Christ (Luke 11:2, Mark 10:45, Phil 2:5, Matt 6:33, 7:7)
📍 Possession is not a valuable as significance. You only save what is scarce.
📌 When you attain significance , you can get possession in one day.
📌 The bread that God give is Christ (John 6:33)
📍 Psalms 23 teaches us about the priority of Salvation plan of God.
📌 The moment you follow your God-given purpose, some things follow you naturally (Phil 2:9) -
DEEPER DAY 1
TOPIC: Who do you image? Understanding delegated authority
TEXT: Eph 3:14
MINISTERING: Apostle Emmanuel Iren
Part of the privilege of theology is to start learning what you cannot finish knowing. The greatness of God surpasses knowledge. There is something about the natural creation that gives us an idea of the greatness of God.
(Eph 3:19)
Holiness means excellence, something that stands out, indescribable. (Exo 15:11)
➡️How do we know what is beyond knowing
📌Anthropomorphic attributes
To know God, God must step down and reach out to us primarily by the incarnation of God in flesh and by anthro attributes. (Dan 9:18)
📌Theomorphic attributes
This is simply the conception of something in form of a deity. There are some things God put on earth to explain his greatness (Psalm 19:1-2)
God is the sun
📍God gives illumination (Psalm 84:11)
He is the sun in his light we see every other thing, God’s light is our perspective in life. Through him we see everything else especially as believers in a world of several opinions and voices
📍God is good
Light is a metaphor for good (I John 1:5) When we call him the light we see his goodness. He does not orchestrate pain or evil, he does not tempt us with sickness, any study that contradicts his goodness is done right. (Rom 15:3)
📍God is consistent
He never changes. People changes everyday and so our hope is only in him. (Jas 1:17)
📍(Psalm 19:6)
God is self sufficient
➡️If God is the sun then we are moons (John 1:1-9)
It is your destiny to image a spirit, God wants to beam his light through you to a degree that anyone that comes near you sees him through you.
➡️The sonship of Christ
The same way Jesus images the father, we image God. We live as ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20)
Every where we go we go on Christ’s behalf. We are called to defend the interest of God on this earth.
You are blessed to be a blessing not to oppress or impress.
You are destined to project if you don’t project God you would project something else (Gen 3: lol mlj
➡️To image God i
Look beyond yourself Heb 26
Side with the purpose of God
Be compassionate and be sensitive
Your wealth should be measured by your contribution and not your possessions.
➡️What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ and what resources back you?
(Psalm 82:1)
📌Everyone sent on behalf of God, they present themselves as though it was God.
📌God like to delegate authority.
📌God likes to show off his greatness in his sons.
📌When anyone in the name of God goes they can make decrees in the name of God.
📌You cannot stop a man aligned to God.
📌When you go where God sent you, you are a God in that place.
📌When God sends you it is as though God went. -
Explore: The Inspiration of Scripture.
He introduced the sermon by highlighting the importance of understanding what we believe and being able to defend it.
The Bible is inspired by two key ways:
📌 God chose the writers of the Bible, handpicking each one to share His message with the world.
📌 God provided divine direction, guiding the lives of every author in the Bible to ensure they wrote His words without error.We also learned that the Canon of the Word of God started with God Himself writing the first words. That is, the ten commandments God gave to the children of isreal. (Exodus 32:16).
Over time, more inspired writings were added by various prophets and leaders (Joshua 24:25-27, Jeremiah 6:16, Hosea 8:12, Zephaniah 3:4).
One of the ways to tell that the Word of God is reliable is by using the same principles that prove other ancient texts, such as:
📌 Time Gap Analysis: By examining the time between when the words were spoken and when the first manuscripts were written, we can assess their accuracy.
📌 Manuscript Quantity: The vast number of manuscripts available today shows that the Bible has been carefully preserved over time. -
EXPLORE: The Purpose of Scriptures” 🔥🔥
He emphasized that the Bible doesn't just tell us what to do but also how to do it. We learnt that we as Christians should have an athletic commitment to devotion even much more than athletes being so devoted to receiving corruptible awards.
Here are a few things to note about being devoted to the word;
1. We must honour the word and prioritize it in our lives. 2 Thessalonians 3:1.
2. We must grow in the word and allow the word of God to grow in our lives. Acts 19:20.
3. The word of God can prevail. It can conquer opposition in our lives and gain pre-eminence. 2 Corinthians 10:5.
4. We must learn to defend what we believe, and to do this, we have to dig into the word and study it.
We ought to give the word of God its rightful place in our hearts. The word of God and God are inseparable. Revelation 19:13, Psalm 107:20.
As we step into this new week, let us prioritize God's word and allow it to influence our lives.🤗🤗
Remember that church attendance without transformation is not God's will for you. -
Believers’ Authority IV
Here are a few points from the sermon:
Guiding Laws on Believers’ Authority is a matter of legality (1 Kings 18:38, NKJV).
➡️ SALVATION
➡️ KNOWLEDGE
➡️ SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD
📍 There are some things that remove you from God’s protection, and unforgiveness is one of them. It makes you vulnerable to attack.
📍 Do not dishonour those whom God has called. Avoid constant disobedience towards God-ordained authority.
📍 Sexual perversion still has consequences. Be mindful of what you allow into your life through your eyes. Set boundaries for yourself. -
Recharge 🔥🔥
There are two lessons we can learn from the creation story. ✨
📌 Priority. Mark 2:27.
On Priority, here are a few things to note;
- Everything had a reason for being created.
- By the order of creation, you see a crescendo that points to priority.
- You must value your rest in God above all things. Revelations 4:11.
- You were created for God so you must therefore prioritise him.
- Seeking first is a heart matter. Matthew 6:33.
- In order of priority whose opinion are you seeking the most? It is never a waste of time to prioritize God.
📌 Systems.
On Systems, here are a few things to note;
- Everything God did, He never had to do again.
- Systems are more powerful than discipline.
- To build good habits, depend on systems, not discipline. Galatians 6:1.
- Learn to use your money to create more systems.
- Delegation is a system. Acts 6:4.What does building systems look like?
- Attending a serious church
- Choosing your friends wisely
- Joining a service unit
Learn to ask yourself these probing questions.
- What is the system for my devotion?
- When and where is my prayer time?
- What systems have I put in place to ensure no matter what happens I can re-arrange your steps? Galatians 6:8. -
Believers’ Authority III
Here are a few points from the sermon:
Guiding Laws on Believers’ Authority is a matter of legality (1 Kings 18:38, NKJV).
➡️ SALVATION
➡️ KNOWLEDGE
➡️ SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD
📍 There are some things that remove you from God’s protection, and unforgiveness is one of them. It makes you vulnerable to attack.
📍 Do not dishonour those whom God has called. Avoid constant disobedience towards God-ordained authority.
📍 Sexual perversion still has consequences. Be mindful of what you allow into your life through your eyes. Set boundaries for yourself. -
Regaining spiritual form.
Genesis1. Before you create anything, you must create infrastructure to sustain it. Atmospheres before activities. Whatever spiritual experience you want to encounter, you must create the discipline to activate the atmosphere.
Galatians6:7 The realm of the spirit works with investment. You are not beyond the principles that protect your vulnerabilities. Sobriety will protect you from being vulnerable to the devices of the enemy. One of the marks of maturity is that you have mastered the fundamentals. You have the childlike attitude of always beginning your day with Him. Hebrews5:13-14
There is a process for temptation, it grows gradually. So let your alarm go off immediately you begin to nurse the idea, not when you have committed the act. There are aspects of spiritual growth where we don’t remain a child, and there are some places where we must remain a child. It is not childishness, it is childishness.
1Corinthians14:20GET UP: Regaining Spiritual Form
📌 Aspects of spiritual devotion that make us childlike.
* Excitement. Psalm 122:1. You know you’re in trouble when you’re not as excited as you used to be. You must watch and guard your excitement.
* Attention. Proverbs 4:20. John 15:5. Exodus 33:15. Anything you’d rather do than wait on God has become an idol. God must be able to interrupt your work. Create the balance in your life. Put God in your schedule and prioritize him.
* Conviction. A child believes what his parent says. Embrace the word of God as the final authority over everything. God said it, I believe it na that settles it.
* Humility. Mark 10:13. One way to know you’re receiving the kingdom is your attitude to correction. You cannot grow until you stop avoiding corrections. -
Believer's Authority II
God wasn’t trying to help the Israelites escape. He wanted to humble Pharoah. To effectively exert your authority as a believer, you must first understand the God that’s on your side.
God wanted to expose Pharoah’s frailty and prove to his people that he was just a man Exodus 11:4-11, Exodus 12:40-41. The contest between God and Pharoah wasn’t close. The book of Exodus wasn’t just about an exodus but also about establishing God’s unequivocal power and authority overall.The devil is not the factor, and as a child of God, you have the right to live like he doesn’t exist. Bondage has a lot to do with ignorance. A curse can only rest where there’s a vacancy. If there’s already a blessing, a curse can not stand Numbers 23:23-25. The blessing of God has a self-protecting measure.
Natural laws of seasons apply, but there’s a blessing that’s not tied to any geographical area Deuteronomy 28:1-3;8;13.
Biological laws apply, but there’s something more. It takes more than hard work to rise, It’s a blessing Deuteronomy 28:24. - もっと表示する
