SHOWING THE FULL STRENGTH OF LOVE  (John 13: 1- 17)

The greatest core value of Jesus Christ in His ministry is LOVE. If we should weigh (though, lack capacity) the skills of our Saviour, the greatest of His skills is LOVE. His nature and character are epitomized in LOVE.  “……having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1).  He demonstrated the full extent of His love to His disciples.  How much do we love ourselves?  How much do we love the Church – the body of Christ?  Our example for showing love is Jesus Christ.

Like Jesus Christ, His beginning is from God and His ending is to God (Jn 13:3), we should hold on to this fact we have come from God and are going to God hence we should love ourselves and the body of Christ (Church) to the fullest.

The fulness of Jesus Christ’s love are:

–  He creates time to eat together with His people.

–  He cares for everyone of the disciples.

–  He humbles Himself to wash their feet from all pollutions.

The fulness of Jesus’ love is unending, unconditional and unselfish in serving others.

How can we replicate that kind of love in our Church?

(1)  Let us have unconditional love for one another.  Love to serve selflessly.

(2)  Put other members of the Church ahead of ours.

(3)  Develop the confidence and security to take risks for one another in the Church.

(4)  Let us organize a feast of love for one another and all members together.

(5)  Let us look for the needs of one another and of the Church and take step to meet them.

(6)  Evaluate on our love for the mission of the Church with aim of improving them.

(7)  Learn to walk peacefully and humbly in the Church

(8)  Choose to perform small or great acts anonymously.

(9)  Learn to talk to promote good relationship in the Church of God.

(10) Love to make friends and create environment for friendship in the Church.

In conclusion, full strength of love is in making it a Seed.  Love is a heavenly sed that produces Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.  To be productive, fruitful and useful in the Church, choose to become a seed of love by accepting the full love of Christ into your life.  You shall be blessed if you obey Jesus Christ.

JESUS IS LORD

POWER OF PRAISE (II CHRONICLE 20:22)

Our Lord is God of praise.  Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise says Jesus Christ (Ps 8:2, Matt. 21:15,16).  God enjoys praise so much that there is nothing He could not do for those who love to praise Him with holy hands.

God in the day of Jehoshaphat revealed and demonstrated what power is in the praise of His holy name.  When the battle became impossible for the army of Jehoshaphat to win and the fear of defeat was very overwhelming among them he contacted God for way out. (ll Chro 20:5-12).

The Holy Spirit of God gave solution to the titanic battle that brought perplexity to the children and army of Israel.  The Spirit of God encouraged them not to be afraid nor dismayed because of the battle facing them.  The Holy Spirit speaks further that they need not to fight the battle in a conventional way but go into the battle with singing and praising the Lord (II Chro. 20:14-20).

However, as they follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit and they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambush against the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, and they were defeated (II Chro. 20:22).

(1)    There is power in the Holy Spirit led praises.

(2)    The enemy of the people of God are always in problem when the anointed people of God lead

praises unto the Lord

(3)    God is always provoked against the enemy of His people when they sing praises with a pure heart.

(4)    The Holy Spirit led praises will make God to fight against the enemy and all the satanic operations

in the battle waged against the children of God.

(5)    God will make impossible possible.

(6)    God gives victory to His people

(7)    God usually wrought an unusual and unprecedented miracle among the children of God.

However, those who will enjoy the power of God in praise must be:

(a)    Born again.

(b)    Able to live a holy life

(c)    Able to be baptized in the Holy Spirit

(d)    Ready to praise God in faith.

(e)    Able to praise God with all his/her heart.

JESUS IS LORD