WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.640 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.919 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:24.600 right in. Amen and amen. So I want to thank the 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.579 pastorate for the opportunity and also congratulate 00:00:27.579 --> 00:00:31.339 the graduates. for the milestone, and we thank 00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:35.380 God for what he's doing. And we're proud of the 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:36.979 graduates. We're proud of them, and we thank 00:00:36.979 --> 00:00:39.479 God for the things he's doing, and it's just 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:41.719 getting started. There's more that lies ahead, 00:00:41.899 --> 00:00:45.000 and we're not distracted. We'll keep on keeping 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:50.399 on. Praise God. So I think I was very appreciative 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:54.439 to hear a lot of us talk about, I think the graduates, 00:00:54.619 --> 00:00:56.820 talk about the times where there were highs and 00:00:56.820 --> 00:00:59.119 there were lows. There were highs and there were 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.640 lows. One thing that is sure is that for you 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:04.920 to make progress and arrive to the point where 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:10.319 you're done is that you keep on going. I think 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:13.480 in the midweek service, we said, it says never 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:18.120 give up. It says never give up. Never give up. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:19.900 But as a minister, you will have challenging 00:01:19.900 --> 00:01:23.359 times. You'll have difficult times. You'll have 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.719 times when things don't seem like they're working. 00:01:26.329 --> 00:01:31.250 But one thing we must do is we must stay consistent 00:01:31.250 --> 00:01:33.930 and stay faithful. We are not people that start 00:01:33.930 --> 00:01:36.930 and stop. We are not people that quit. Because 00:01:36.930 --> 00:01:40.969 if our Lord Jesus Christ had given up, we would 00:01:40.969 --> 00:01:44.510 not be here today. Praise God. And he is working 00:01:44.510 --> 00:01:48.349 in us to do all that he has instructed and called 00:01:48.349 --> 00:01:50.750 us to. And we are greatly empowered and helped 00:01:50.750 --> 00:01:54.739 by God. So just for a recap, just for those of 00:01:54.739 --> 00:01:56.560 us that are probably just joining on a Sunday 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:02.019 today, the topic is ministers of God. The topic 00:02:02.019 --> 00:02:04.500 is ministers of God, and we're looking at 2 Corinthians 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:09.900 6. And we say, who's a minister? We say a minister 00:02:09.900 --> 00:02:14.979 is a person who serves. Someone is a servant. 00:02:15.060 --> 00:02:18.099 We say it's diakonos. Someone who serves and 00:02:18.099 --> 00:02:22.039 serves with another. And it's... The word used 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:25.439 for a deacon is the word used for a deacon. And 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:28.819 we established this teaching when we started 00:02:28.819 --> 00:02:31.300 off by saying that our identity as ministers 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:35.599 is what will go forward to characterize our responsibility. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:40.500 The fact that you are identified as a believer, 00:02:40.699 --> 00:02:43.500 there's a responsibility that is demanded of 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:45.939 you. We say as ministers, what we do is that 00:02:45.939 --> 00:02:50.419 we minister. You are not just here marking time. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:52.580 You know, there are believers that have this 00:02:52.580 --> 00:02:54.680 mindset or mentality that once you're saved, 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:58.939 next thing, heaven. No, you're saved for service. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:03.580 God has redeemed you to proclaim. We say that 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:07.939 every believer is called to ministry. Every believer 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:10.879 is called to ministry. And the moment that is 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:13.159 etched at the back of your mind, that brings 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:15.740 in a sense of responsibility. And we had established 00:03:15.740 --> 00:03:18.639 that. We said, after salvation, what should follow 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:22.199 is training. Those of you that had finished your 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:25.759 nursing, you have been trained in that field 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.039 of nursing. You spent four years. Some of you 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.919 is dentistry, Sister Christabel. A couple of 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:36.819 you have been trained all through that year to 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:39.780 be able to graduate and say you have this degree. 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:45.060 And the paper itself is not what qualifies you. 00:03:45.699 --> 00:03:49.300 The whole... countless times of showing up in 00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:50.960 class when you feel like it or when you don't 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:54.379 feel like it. The whole times of where you are 00:03:54.379 --> 00:03:57.400 sleeping, but you still have to study. The hours 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:00.219 and hours you spend on toiling to get that done. 00:04:00.340 --> 00:04:04.539 And as believers, we do the same. We do the same, 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:07.879 not for a certificate. We thank God for NECF. 00:04:07.939 --> 00:04:09.819 We hand you a certificate. But what is more important 00:04:09.819 --> 00:04:12.319 to us is the training that you go through that 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.460 builds you, that equips you for the work of ministry. 00:04:16.189 --> 00:04:18.089 It helps you in the life that you have ahead. 00:04:18.230 --> 00:04:20.389 It helps you mostly for the work of ministry 00:04:20.389 --> 00:04:23.230 that you were called to. Praise God. And we said 00:04:23.230 --> 00:04:25.810 this, that the priority of a believer has to 00:04:25.810 --> 00:04:28.129 be the work of ministry. And that ministry is 00:04:28.129 --> 00:04:30.370 the ministry of reconciliation. We see that in 00:04:30.370 --> 00:04:33.569 the 2 Corinthians 5. It said that ministry is 00:04:33.569 --> 00:04:35.790 the ministry of reconciliation. What we are meant 00:04:35.790 --> 00:04:38.550 to do as ministers is that we are reconciling 00:04:38.550 --> 00:04:42.550 men to God. We are reconciling men to God. God. 00:04:42.730 --> 00:04:45.990 And one very key ingredient in this walk of ministry 00:04:45.990 --> 00:04:49.310 is the local church. The local church is very 00:04:49.310 --> 00:04:51.069 important, and I love the fact that many of you 00:04:51.069 --> 00:04:54.269 are testifying of how, not that I say local church, 00:04:54.329 --> 00:04:56.649 it's not the global, it's not the church online, 00:04:56.889 --> 00:04:59.889 because I think in our sermon we discussed, I 00:04:59.889 --> 00:05:02.569 think we had a talk about it, where we were asking 00:05:02.569 --> 00:05:03.990 a couple of questions, and we said, what are 00:05:03.990 --> 00:05:05.949 the reasons? Or somebody gave a scenario. What 00:05:05.949 --> 00:05:08.689 if someone comes and says, I am following my 00:05:08.689 --> 00:05:12.680 church back? And not that the... The hardships 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:16.620 that you go through here, you don't call customer 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:18.060 key and say, give me a word of encouragement. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:24.220 There's something about when someone, there's 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:27.660 a one -on -one interaction. And it's not just 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:30.519 one person. It's like a lot of persons around 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:33.040 that will encourage you. You have a lot and we're 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:35.540 blessed with a lot of pastors that will encourage 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:37.860 us and strengthen us, encourage us with the word 00:05:37.860 --> 00:05:40.019 of God, encourage us with the things that will 00:05:40.019 --> 00:05:43.129 build us up. Praise God. And you don't want to 00:05:43.129 --> 00:05:47.329 be, because some of us are very, you know, we 00:05:47.329 --> 00:05:52.829 have this short fuse. It's like when we try something, 00:05:52.910 --> 00:05:55.389 it doesn't work, we quit. We try something, it 00:05:55.389 --> 00:05:57.449 doesn't work, we quit. We come with fire, we 00:05:57.449 --> 00:05:59.930 come with zeal, and then it's just, we're not 00:05:59.930 --> 00:06:03.370 consistent. And you don't make any progress, 00:06:03.430 --> 00:06:05.990 you don't start, stop, start, stop, start, stop, 00:06:06.009 --> 00:06:09.329 take two steps forward. 10 steps backward, and 00:06:09.329 --> 00:06:11.730 then you feel that that is how your walk is going 00:06:11.730 --> 00:06:13.610 to get, that's how you're going to get, you're 00:06:13.610 --> 00:06:15.970 going to get it done. You have to, at some point 00:06:15.970 --> 00:06:18.269 in time, realize that there's a reorientation 00:06:18.269 --> 00:06:20.750 that has to happen here. There's a realignment 00:06:20.750 --> 00:06:22.649 that has to happen here for you to make solid 00:06:22.649 --> 00:06:25.189 progress and come to that point where you can 00:06:25.189 --> 00:06:27.170 actually see that you are like a possible, you 00:06:27.170 --> 00:06:30.230 see you have fought the fight. You have gotten 00:06:30.230 --> 00:06:32.800 to the finish line. And on Wednesday, we say 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:35.579 that for you to carry out this responsibility, 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:39.480 you have to be single -minded. You have to have 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:42.759 that one thing that your eyes are locked in on. 00:06:43.660 --> 00:06:47.040 Not many things. One thing that your eyes are 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:49.540 locked in on. For those of you, for the period 00:06:49.540 --> 00:06:52.139 where you were, your eyes were locked in on the 00:06:52.139 --> 00:06:55.139 diploma. That day when you graduate. Some of 00:06:55.139 --> 00:06:58.540 you had even pictured yourself on that day. Picture 00:06:58.540 --> 00:07:01.199 yourself having to throw your caps in the air. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:03.199 Some of you had pictured, and those are the things 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:08.019 that kept you going on. Praise God. And our drive 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:14.259 is anchored on the price on what God has done, 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:16.639 what motivates us. I think we saw from the life 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:19.220 of David. David said, one thing have I desired. 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:23.240 Psalm 27, verse 4. One thing have I desired. 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.439 And we say that he started off that verse with 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.120 saying that the Lord is my light and salvation. 00:07:29.100 --> 00:07:33.720 Meaning that he... He has a relationship that 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:37.480 can make him say that the Lord is my light and 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:40.920 salvation. And he says one thing, not many things, 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.040 one thing have I desired. Praise God. And then 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:48.160 we look at the life of, we looked at the situation 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:52.519 in Luke 10. That's what I want us to very much 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:54.839 touch on for the time that we have. We looked 00:07:54.839 --> 00:07:56.620 at that. I will just brush that and then we go 00:07:56.620 --> 00:08:02.610 into. And Pastor Victor had touched. just when 00:08:02.610 --> 00:08:06.410 he was looking at the life of Apostle Paul, just 00:08:06.410 --> 00:08:09.110 to emphasize the importance of how our role and 00:08:09.110 --> 00:08:12.029 our responsibility as ministers is anchored on... 00:08:12.029 --> 00:08:18.009 Because someone will have an opportunity to experience 00:08:18.009 --> 00:08:22.310 God because we stood in our place of responsibility. 00:08:23.129 --> 00:08:26.269 Our not standing in our place of responsibility 00:08:26.269 --> 00:08:29.699 will make individuals... miss an opportunity 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:34.220 to encounter God. Because we have that encounter. 00:08:34.779 --> 00:08:37.120 And there are people that will need to have that 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:38.639 similar encounter that we've had that brought 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.740 us to the place where we're standing. Praise 00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:49.720 God. And in Luke 10, 42, it says, But one thing 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:53.039 is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, 00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:57.720 which will not be taken away from her. One thing 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:00.820 is needed, and Mary has chosen that, and we'll 00:09:00.820 --> 00:09:02.500 be thinking to ourselves, what is that one thing? 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:10.139 Let's go back to 39. 39 says, And she had a sister 00:09:10.139 --> 00:09:12.679 called Mary, that's Martha had a sister called 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:16.659 Mary, who sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. 00:09:16.980 --> 00:09:20.820 Who sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. It's 00:09:20.820 --> 00:09:22.919 very important that you know that that one thing 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:25.419 that will not be taken away from her is that 00:09:26.539 --> 00:09:29.159 The Word of God, the training, the learning. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:34.820 And in 41, it says, after Martha had complained 00:09:34.820 --> 00:09:37.200 and Jesus answered and said, Martha, Martha, 00:09:37.340 --> 00:09:41.759 you are worried and troubled about many things. 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:44.799 And this is an encouragement to those that have 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:48.980 graduated. You know, you had had times where 00:09:48.980 --> 00:09:51.100 you had worried, troubled, and then you had finished. 00:09:51.539 --> 00:09:54.789 The worrying will continue if you don't... Focus 00:09:54.789 --> 00:09:56.850 on one thing which is important and put your 00:09:56.850 --> 00:09:59.330 energy. The recipe for frustration is trying 00:09:59.330 --> 00:10:04.210 to do a lot of things at the same time. And for 00:10:04.210 --> 00:10:08.450 her, it's a good thing. Preparing service is 00:10:08.450 --> 00:10:11.250 very beautiful, but training is more important. 00:10:11.370 --> 00:10:12.970 And in the Church of NEC, I'm repeating myself 00:10:12.970 --> 00:10:14.690 because a couple of us went around and made a 00:10:14.690 --> 00:10:15.870 week's service, and it's very important that 00:10:15.870 --> 00:10:19.529 this drops. That your service to God is important. 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:24.759 But what is much more important is your training 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:29.620 that makes you effective in your service. What 00:10:29.620 --> 00:10:32.820 is much more important is your training. And 00:10:32.820 --> 00:10:35.820 to those of us that will skip on an opportunity 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:39.200 to be trained and will jump on an opportunity 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:43.000 to serve, what you are doing to yourself, you 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:46.240 might not see now, but you will see yourself 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:49.299 in the future having spent so much time in service, 00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:53.090 but not having. progressed or grown to a place 00:10:53.090 --> 00:10:57.690 of maturity. I was speaking to someone. I said, 00:10:57.730 --> 00:11:00.129 I love the fact that you've taken a step to serve. 00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:03.029 But what is much more important to us is that 00:11:03.029 --> 00:11:07.730 you take the time to be in services. Midweek 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:10.590 service is important. Cell meetings are important 00:11:10.590 --> 00:11:12.809 where we can interact much more. We give you 00:11:12.809 --> 00:11:15.570 books to read. We say be part and parcel of the 00:11:15.570 --> 00:11:17.649 things that the church is doing. That is being 00:11:17.649 --> 00:11:20.570 part of a local church. Where you can be checked 00:11:20.570 --> 00:11:24.149 on, you can be accountable. That's the point. 00:11:24.250 --> 00:11:28.450 You can be accountable. It's very hard. You can't 00:11:28.450 --> 00:11:31.029 even be accountable when you're online. You can't 00:11:31.029 --> 00:11:33.470 be accountable when there's distance. The local 00:11:33.470 --> 00:11:36.350 church is called local for a reason. It means 00:11:36.350 --> 00:11:39.409 that it's within reach. It's where you show up. 00:11:40.909 --> 00:11:43.750 And it's not where you choose to show up. It's 00:11:43.750 --> 00:11:46.850 where you know it's important that you show up. 00:11:48.299 --> 00:11:53.460 Praise God. So what is of most importance, which 00:11:53.460 --> 00:11:56.620 we must value what is most important, which is 00:11:56.620 --> 00:12:00.440 learning and growing. Which is learning and growing. 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:03.659 We need to evaluate ourselves. We need to take 00:12:03.659 --> 00:12:06.379 time, evaluate ourselves. Sit down and think 00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:10.320 about where you are now and where you used to 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:15.320 be before. Praise God. Having that time of reflecting 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:18.220 and... Telling yourself or sitting down and saying, 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:21.000 what am I doing now? Where was I before? Where 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:26.080 am I now? And where am I headed? Because where 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:30.559 you are now is just one phase. Because we're 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.059 all going somewhere, right? We're all going somewhere. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.399 Some of you came here. Some of you are about 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:38.759 to leave in. And it's very important that we 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:42.299 look at, we think deeply about that. I said, 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:45.460 what makes our service effective? It's the training 00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:48.059 that we received. And if we see through Scripture, 00:12:48.259 --> 00:12:51.120 training was very important. And we said the 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:54.620 disciples themselves were trained. That's why 00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:56.799 people could look at them and say, these men 00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:59.620 have been with someone, and these men have been 00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:03.379 with Jesus. So our training is as important, 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:08.960 more important than our service. And let me just 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:16.240 jump my notes to where I will... Let's read Ephesians 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:26.279 5, 15 to 17. Ephesians 5, 15 to 17. So it says, 00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:40.340 let's read it from the NLT. I'll read. It says, 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:43.850 so be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, 00:13:43.990 --> 00:13:49.730 but like those who are wise. Make the most of 00:13:49.730 --> 00:13:53.450 every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act 00:13:53.450 --> 00:13:57.629 thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants 00:13:57.629 --> 00:14:00.450 you to do. But understand what the Lord wants 00:14:00.450 --> 00:14:02.190 you to do. Remember I told you about wanting. 00:14:02.809 --> 00:14:05.710 Once you understand that wanting, there's no 00:14:05.710 --> 00:14:09.330 confusion. There's clarity. You move with precision 00:14:09.330 --> 00:14:12.289 because you know what that wanting is. And I'll 00:14:12.289 --> 00:14:15.830 read it from the J .B. Phillips. It says, Live 00:14:15.830 --> 00:14:21.029 life then with a due sense of responsibility, 00:14:21.370 --> 00:14:24.850 not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose 00:14:24.850 --> 00:14:28.710 of life, but as those who do. I'll read that 00:14:28.710 --> 00:14:31.370 part again. Not as men who do not know the meaning 00:14:31.370 --> 00:14:35.850 and purpose of life, but as those who do. 16 00:14:35.850 --> 00:14:40.389 says, Make the best use of your time, despite... 00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:44.879 all the difficulties of this day. Don't be vague, 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:50.519 but firmly grasp what you know to be the will 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.639 of God. Firmly grasp what you know to be the 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:58.460 will of God. Know that it says that we should 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:03.379 make the best use of your time. And I believe 00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:06.679 that many of us are doing that. Many of us have 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:09.100 done that to be able to come to this point where 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:11.190 we are saying, okay, this is... the phase where 00:15:11.190 --> 00:15:12.830 we're in, we're looking forward to another thing. 00:15:14.009 --> 00:15:16.950 It takes focus. It takes discipline. It takes 00:15:16.950 --> 00:15:20.649 persistence. It takes consistency at doing certain 00:15:20.649 --> 00:15:23.809 things that you probably don't like, you probably 00:15:23.809 --> 00:15:25.710 don't enjoy, but you know that it's important 00:15:25.710 --> 00:15:29.129 for you to get you to that point where you can 00:15:29.129 --> 00:15:32.009 be able to say that you're living with a due 00:15:32.009 --> 00:15:33.529 sense of responsibility. You're living life with 00:15:33.529 --> 00:15:35.230 a due sense of responsibility. You're careful 00:15:35.230 --> 00:15:38.669 how you live your life. You don't act. like someone 00:15:38.669 --> 00:15:40.950 who is thoughtless, but you are thoughtful and 00:15:40.950 --> 00:15:43.889 you are holding on to what the will of God is 00:15:43.889 --> 00:15:45.710 for your life. And you're going to experience 00:15:45.710 --> 00:15:47.769 challenges. And in the second Corinthians, let's 00:15:47.769 --> 00:15:56.529 just go to the second Corinthians 6, 6 verse 00:15:56.529 --> 00:16:01.289 4, 4, 5, 6 verse 4, 5. It says, but in all things, 00:16:01.289 --> 00:16:05.129 we commend ourselves as ministers of God. In 00:16:05.129 --> 00:16:07.899 all things, we commend ourselves. As ministers 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:15.539 of God. In patience. In tribulations. In needs. 00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:20.159 In distresses. In strifes. In imprisonment. In 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:25.879 tumults. In labors. In sleeplessness. In fastings. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.080 All of these things are things we can relate 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:35.000 with. Even without service. There are things 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:38.570 that we can relate with. Because you'll have 00:16:38.570 --> 00:16:44.529 times when you don't sleep. Apostle Paul is telling 00:16:44.529 --> 00:16:46.690 you these are the things that he went through 00:16:46.690 --> 00:16:49.450 as a minister. Times where he was facing trouble. 00:16:49.730 --> 00:16:53.289 The list goes on and on. Times where he was shipwrecked. 00:16:53.509 --> 00:16:56.929 Disaster. Times where he was flogged. Times where 00:16:56.929 --> 00:17:00.070 he was in prison. Times where he was mobbed. 00:17:01.009 --> 00:17:05.829 Times where he was slaving. Times where he didn't 00:17:05.829 --> 00:17:08.680 have... food to eat. Times where he couldn't 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:12.420 catch sleep. The list goes on and on, but it 00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:14.319 didn't stop him from carrying out his responsibility. 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:18.299 That did not stop him. And that shouldn't stop 00:17:18.299 --> 00:17:22.299 us as well. Praise God. That did not stop many 00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:24.500 of us. We had times of difficulties, but it didn't 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:27.480 stop us from moving ahead. Because the prize 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:30.240 or the thing that the one who has called us is 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:33.140 the one who is empowering us. And we must trust 00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:37.069 that he is there. even when it doesn't feel like 00:17:37.069 --> 00:17:40.009 it, even when it doesn't seem like it, even when 00:17:40.009 --> 00:17:42.970 we feel like stopping along the way or we feel 00:17:42.970 --> 00:17:47.369 like saying, what is all this for? We always 00:17:47.369 --> 00:17:50.170 should remember, we always should hold on to 00:17:50.170 --> 00:17:52.910 the fact that God is faithful. The one who has 00:17:52.910 --> 00:17:57.890 called us is faithful. The difficult times will 00:17:57.890 --> 00:18:01.490 not stop all of a sudden. Hard times will not 00:18:01.490 --> 00:18:04.150 stop all of a sudden. But it should not distract 00:18:04.150 --> 00:18:07.490 us from our work as ministers. We should not 00:18:07.490 --> 00:18:09.569 say, because things are hard, we're pursuing 00:18:09.569 --> 00:18:12.170 something and we're neglecting what is most important. 00:18:12.970 --> 00:18:15.910 Praise God. Because if it's important to you, 00:18:15.950 --> 00:18:19.230 it will show. It's like I was talking to someone 00:18:19.230 --> 00:18:21.789 and I said, if it's important to you, the way 00:18:21.789 --> 00:18:25.450 you guard it, you can miss a midweek service 00:18:25.450 --> 00:18:28.309 and it's important to you, you go back because 00:18:28.309 --> 00:18:31.049 there's a recording. And then you go and read 00:18:31.049 --> 00:18:34.210 and take notes. That shows that even though you 00:18:34.210 --> 00:18:36.769 miss, if you had a way, you would have been there. 00:18:38.190 --> 00:18:40.970 If you had an opportunity to be there, you wouldn't 00:18:40.970 --> 00:18:44.569 miss it for the world because you value that 00:18:44.569 --> 00:18:49.450 thing. And we're told to value relationships. 00:18:49.730 --> 00:18:52.549 We're told to value our local church. We're told 00:18:52.549 --> 00:18:55.589 to value the people that God has blessed you 00:18:55.589 --> 00:18:59.069 with. Don't despise them because those are the 00:18:59.069 --> 00:19:01.150 persons that will help you. You know, he was... 00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:03.039 He was pointing to us that it was people that 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:06.519 helped him to let him down off the bus. In fact, 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:09.339 the part I wanted us to go through and see in 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:23.240 Acts 9 is verse 10. Acts 9 verse 10 is Ananias. 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:26.920 You see, now there was a certain disciple at 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:32.230 Damascus called Ananias. To him the Lord said 00:19:32.230 --> 00:19:37.809 in a vision, Ananias, and he said, Here I am, 00:19:37.829 --> 00:19:42.329 Lord. He says, Here I am, Lord. And I want you 00:19:42.329 --> 00:19:45.730 to know that Ananias is a disciple. Ananias is 00:19:45.730 --> 00:19:48.950 like you and I. And God calls you to a responsibility. 00:19:49.410 --> 00:19:53.630 Your response should be, Here I am. Praise God. 00:19:54.230 --> 00:19:57.349 11, it says, So the Lord said to him, Arise and 00:19:57.349 --> 00:20:22.920 go to the street. Someone is praying or someone 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:27.579 is just in need of help. Someone is somewhere. 00:20:28.029 --> 00:20:32.970 in need of help, and you are that person that 00:20:32.970 --> 00:20:36.109 needs to come through for them. And there's a 00:20:36.109 --> 00:20:40.769 call out to you to help or to reach out to someone. 00:20:41.730 --> 00:20:45.950 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I've heard from 00:20:45.950 --> 00:20:51.170 many about this man, how many harm he has done 00:20:51.170 --> 00:20:56.359 to your saints in Jerusalem. 14. And he has authority 00:20:56.359 --> 00:21:00.339 from the chief priests to bind all who call on 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:06.319 your name. 15. But the Lord said to him, Go, 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:11.700 for he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:14.259 name before Gentiles, kings, and the children 00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:19.779 of Israel. For I will show him how many things 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:26.029 he must suffer for my name's sake. I want you 00:21:26.029 --> 00:21:31.509 to see something that Ananias had heard news, 00:21:31.970 --> 00:21:37.049 has heard information. And it's not like him 00:21:37.049 --> 00:21:39.269 going to see this man is putting his life at 00:21:39.269 --> 00:21:41.910 risk. It's putting his life in danger because 00:21:41.910 --> 00:21:44.369 what he says here is that, see, I've heard that 00:21:44.369 --> 00:21:49.490 this man is given authority to bind. If you are 00:21:49.490 --> 00:21:53.009 aware of chapter 7, someone was killed, not just 00:21:53.009 --> 00:21:57.039 bind. Stephen, this man had a responsibility 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.759 to take out Christians, and now you have an instruction 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:05.180 to do the unthinkable. And you want to thank 00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:11.039 God for people like Ananias who will see or hear, 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:14.460 but still follow through with what God is instructing 00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:18.559 them to do, which is minister. Praise God. And 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:28.910 Apostle Paul... even recounts this. He recounts 00:22:28.910 --> 00:22:31.950 this, saying that, and he knows the things he 00:22:31.950 --> 00:22:33.809 was going to suffer. He was shown the things 00:22:33.809 --> 00:22:37.650 he was going to suffer. And Ananias fell through 00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:41.170 with it. Thank God for people, ministers that 00:22:41.170 --> 00:22:42.710 followed through with the instructions given, 00:22:42.869 --> 00:22:44.890 and then the results that happened afterwards. 00:22:45.029 --> 00:22:48.230 Because as Pastor Victor was saying, there's 00:22:48.230 --> 00:22:50.670 a lot we would have missed out on. or someone 00:22:50.670 --> 00:22:53.569 else would have been instructed to carry out 00:22:53.569 --> 00:22:56.289 the same assignment. And at every stage, as at 00:22:56.289 --> 00:22:59.029 the point of when he was saved, there was an 00:22:59.029 --> 00:23:01.009 ananias. As at the point when he needed to be 00:23:01.009 --> 00:23:03.490 integrated to a local church, there was Barnabas. 00:23:03.630 --> 00:23:05.869 At every stage of his life, at the point when 00:23:05.869 --> 00:23:07.369 he needed men, I think in the miracle service 00:23:07.369 --> 00:23:14.829 we talked about Timothy, Eutychus, a couple of 00:23:14.829 --> 00:23:20.440 other men that were around to... To serve, to 00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:23.000 minister unto him in his time of need. Praise 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:26.799 God. We have all of these men. God has placed 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:31.380 us in so... The local church is so collective, 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:35.640 so inclusive, that you shouldn't be in the church 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:38.579 and still be isolated. You shouldn't be in the 00:23:38.579 --> 00:23:41.799 church and still feel like you're a loner or 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:45.119 you're alone. God has blessed you with a family. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.859 Make the most of the family. You can't be stranded 00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:53.740 and still act like you have a lot. You know, 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:55.519 when you have a lot in your account and you're 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.619 still acting broke. You have a resource, human 00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:02.519 resource, a lot of resource that you have here 00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:07.299 and you don't want to... You want to make the 00:24:07.299 --> 00:24:09.619 most of the resource that God has blessed us 00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:12.980 with. And Ananias did that regardless of what 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:15.099 he has heard. And we want to discipline ourselves 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:18.619 to be able to hear God. And follow through with 00:24:18.619 --> 00:24:21.299 the instructions given. Because you are going 00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:24.920 to bring someone into something that they can't 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:26.880 experience without you being there. Or without 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:30.140 you leading them through. Because you are there. 00:24:30.660 --> 00:24:33.480 I will just take us to first, we will close with 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:48.960 this. To 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. 9. It says, But 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:53.140 you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:58.059 a holy nation, his own special people, that you 00:24:58.059 --> 00:25:02.140 may proclaim the praises of him who has called 00:25:02.140 --> 00:25:05.200 you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:08.740 It said, You may proclaim the praises of him 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:12.759 who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:18.200 light. In Matthew 16, 18. It says the church, 00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:23.420 ecclesia, we're called out. And we are called 00:25:23.420 --> 00:25:25.319 out of darkness to marvelous light. And we have 00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:28.420 a responsibility, which is to proclaim. Which 00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:32.200 is to proclaim. Which is to tell. For this translation, 00:25:32.279 --> 00:25:38.460 we say show. To show forth. To manifest. To demonstrate. 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:42.400 These are the different words that are used. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:46.019 And we are God's special people. We are not ordinary 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:49.690 people. Jesus Christ in Matthew 5 verse 14 refers 00:25:49.690 --> 00:25:56.309 to us as the light. We are called into his light 00:25:56.309 --> 00:26:00.390 and we show forth his light to the world. And 00:26:00.390 --> 00:26:03.349 we shouldn't get tired of doing our responsibility, 00:26:03.549 --> 00:26:06.369 which is displaying, which is speaking to people 00:26:06.369 --> 00:26:09.109 and calling them out as well. As we're called, 00:26:09.150 --> 00:26:12.349 we're calling them out of darkness into his marvelous 00:26:12.349 --> 00:26:16.839 light. And that call is very key. in how we go 00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:19.799 about our daily living. We shouldn't forget who 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:22.559 we are. We shouldn't forget what he has done 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:25.400 for us. And we should also look out for an opportunity 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:28.299 for him to do the same to others. As a minister, 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:30.660 everywhere you find yourself, you're looking 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:33.279 for an opportunity that people will taste of 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.319 God, that people will experience God. In our 00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:37.220 affirmations, I think our brother was talking 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:39.599 about how Joshua, I think even though there are 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:41.240 two Joshuas, I think he's Joshua, you're Joshua. 00:26:41.619 --> 00:26:44.140 We're talking about how the affirmations are 00:26:44.140 --> 00:26:46.630 powerful. When we say, We're winning billions 00:26:46.630 --> 00:26:49.869 of souls. We're taking over territories and nations. 00:26:49.930 --> 00:26:53.069 What we mean in a sense is that we're proclaiming 00:26:53.069 --> 00:26:55.230 and bringing people into the light they were 00:26:55.230 --> 00:26:57.690 in. That's how we take over. You know, some people 00:26:57.690 --> 00:26:58.950 when they say take over, they mean something 00:26:58.950 --> 00:27:01.970 else. But when we say take over, as a believer, 00:27:01.990 --> 00:27:03.869 when you say take over, you're meaning that the 00:27:03.869 --> 00:27:07.230 gospel will reach millions and billions of souls 00:27:07.230 --> 00:27:09.910 and people will be snatched from darkness into 00:27:09.910 --> 00:27:12.130 this marvelous light that we're part of. Praise 00:27:12.130 --> 00:27:15.190 God. Light is distinct. When there's light in 00:27:15.190 --> 00:27:20.109 a place, it's evident. There's a way light operates 00:27:20.109 --> 00:27:24.029 that is unique from darkness. There are things 00:27:24.029 --> 00:27:26.069 that light does that is unique from darkness. 00:27:26.789 --> 00:27:31.410 Praise God. And we are that light. We are the 00:27:31.410 --> 00:27:35.450 light of the world, as he says, we are a city 00:27:35.450 --> 00:27:40.430 set on a hill. Let's not hide. Let's come out 00:27:40.430 --> 00:27:45.440 from where we are hiding. and show forth that 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:48.819 light. The ministry is collective and it's every 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:51.880 believer's responsibility. We have a structure 00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:54.259 of leadership that ensures that everybody is 00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:57.279 doing their function, right? And this is where 00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:59.619 we get developed. The local church is where people 00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:03.200 are developed, people are built, people are discipled, 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.740 and all of this, as ministers, we're doing, making 00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:08.980 process because there's faithfulness in the service. 00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:11.440 We talked about accountability, we talked about 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:14.680 effectiveness. We talked about submission, where 00:28:14.680 --> 00:28:16.440 you have to submit to the authority of the church 00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:19.460 to grow. We're not raising people that are rebels. 00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:24.220 We're raising people that are faithful. I think, 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:25.599 remember, I think in the midweek service, we 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:28.480 were talking about how Eutychus was faithful, 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:31.160 Timothy, faithful servant. All of these individuals 00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:35.059 were faithful. And it's very important that we're 00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:38.759 active in the church of God. We take that responsibility 00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:42.980 to grow. It's very essential for us. To know 00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:47.059 that in the church of God, there's going to be 00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:49.059 instruction. There's going to be correction. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:51.460 There's going to be accountability. All of these 00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:55.079 things is all part of the training process. And 00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:58.180 the goal for us is not to get people saved and 00:28:58.180 --> 00:28:59.960 bring them to church. The goal for us is to get 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:04.500 them saved and train them to do likewise. Praise 00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:07.400 God. Because now, all these graduates now, some 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:08.900 of you will be staying, some of you will be leaving. 00:29:10.190 --> 00:29:11.950 Right? Some of you will stay, some of you will 00:29:11.950 --> 00:29:14.170 live in. So the goal is for you to be trained 00:29:14.170 --> 00:29:16.529 because you're called when you're saved, you're 00:29:16.529 --> 00:29:18.769 called, then you are equipped, and then you are 00:29:18.769 --> 00:29:22.789 sent out. We saw that in the time of the apostles, 00:29:23.069 --> 00:29:25.369 persecution is what spreads them. And I said 00:29:25.369 --> 00:29:27.289 this in the last teaching, that when they went 00:29:27.289 --> 00:29:30.069 to those places, they were not looking for shelter 00:29:30.069 --> 00:29:32.690 to be safe. They went and continued the work 00:29:32.690 --> 00:29:35.289 that they are called, they were called to do. 00:29:35.569 --> 00:29:37.670 So an encouragement to each and every one of 00:29:37.670 --> 00:29:40.799 us. No matter where you find yourself, what should 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:44.680 be that one thing that you should never doubt 00:29:44.680 --> 00:29:47.339 or motivation for is what you are called to. 00:29:47.619 --> 00:29:49.660 Because the moment you lose that, you lose everything. 00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:56.000 As I said, careers, degrees can fade away. You 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:59.539 can end, you can, whatever it is you've studied 00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:02.539 can be outdated or something. Things like AI 00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:04.500 now will just take, will be taking things where 00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:07.180 they can't. But one thing that makes you relevant, 00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:11.000 one thing that will last is what God has done 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:13.960 in us and is doing in us and is doing through 00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:16.460 us. Praise God. I want us to rise to our feet 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:22.359 and declare these words. I'm a minister of God 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:27.980 winning billions of souls. I am faithfully serving 00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:33.410 in the local church. For us that are here, the 00:30:33.410 --> 00:30:35.890 local church is NECF, right? I am accountable 00:30:35.890 --> 00:30:40.190 to leadership. I am accountable to leadership 00:30:40.190 --> 00:30:44.730 in the local church. I am not afraid to preach 00:30:44.730 --> 00:30:49.069 the gospel that gets unbelievers saved. I am 00:30:49.069 --> 00:30:53.650 patient with that unbeliever until I get them 00:30:53.650 --> 00:30:58.990 saved and see them grow. I want you to just pray. 00:31:02.509 --> 00:31:05.589 We appreciate you being here today. We hope you 00:31:05.589 --> 00:31:07.710 carry this word with you throughout your week. 00:31:08.329 --> 00:31:10.529 Don't forget to check the show notes for additional 00:31:10.529 --> 00:31:13.470 insights. Stay connected with us through our 00:31:13.470 --> 00:31:17.329 website or follow us on social media. If you 00:31:17.329 --> 00:31:19.569 are encouraged, share this message with someone 00:31:19.569 --> 00:31:23.130 you care about. Until next time, stay blessed.