THE PURPOSE OF COMING. TO. CHURCH.

THE PURPOSE OF COMING TO CHURCH. “Purpose “ -Is the reason or intention behind an action or something. It is what an action is meant to or supposed to achieve. It is an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides one’s planned actions. It could be an intention, objective or goal intended to be attained. It can simply be defined as “the reason behind what you are doing or what you intend to do. “Coming”-Moving by any means towards something or a place. In this context, you are moving towards the church. One can say you set out to get to the church and that is your destination. “Church”- In this context is referred to as a place of worship.Jn4:23. A house of prayer.Matt21:13. His (Jesus) Father’s house.Jn 2:16. GOD’s dwelling place.Ex25:8. A place where the word of GOD is taught.Lk13:10. It is a place where believers, the elect of GOD gather to meet, praise and worship Jesus Christ, the head of the church. It is the natural habitation of divine presence and as such you come in with awe and reverence. The purpose of coming to church is multidimensional. The scriptures say”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”Heb10:25. Coming to the church should be a thing of joy as David mentioned “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”Ps 23:1. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”Ps84:10.”I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”Ps122:1.” In thy presence is fullness of joy.”Ps16:11. Even from David’s writing, one can see that coming to the church is loaded with many reasons. Therefore we should come with expectations and with the belief that we won’t go back without being blessed. Let us consider some of the reasons behind our coming to church. To meet Jesus and offer praise and worship to him.Heb13:15. To encounter and glorify GOD together .Jn4:23, Ps95:6. To learn the word of GOD. Acts2:42,2 Tim3:16. For prayer.Matt21:13 To testify to the goodness of the LORD through testimonies.Rev12:11. To fellowship with others.Heb10:25. Let us consider the points listed above one by one. *To praise and worship the LORD. The Father expects us to worship him in the spirit and in truth and this is confirmed when Jesus said in Jn4:23-24. So he is worthy of worship and in humble awe we come to worship him. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshippers must worship in the spirit and in truth.” And the psalmist says Come,”let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.“ Ps95:6. We are coming to church to worship and as we sing, praise and worship, our praise goes up and GOD inhabits it and rain blessings upon us. Through praise and worship we receive blessings from above. *To learn the word. The word of GOD is our spiritual food that we feed on when we come to church and even when out of church just like the body needs food daily. Matt4:4, 1Peter2:2. It is our light, when life is dark and confusing , the word illuminates and lights up our path.Ps119:105. It is our mirror, whenever we hear or read it, it tells us the truth about ourselves.James 1:23-25. The word is for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. As we listen to the word, and apply it, it transforms and trains us in righteousness.2Tim 3:16-17. The word not only corrects, reproves, trains, it also helps our faith to wax stronger. And it is only by hearing it, that we can build up our faith. Rom 10:11. You can not buy or manufacture or transfer faith, so coming to church to hear the word enhances one’s faith and spiritual growth. The word you hear can not be taken away from you and a life built on the word will stand when storms of life come. The word carries life and power to heal. “They are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” Prov 4:22. When Jesus sent out the word to the centurion’s servant, he was healed. Matt8:8,16. As we hear the word, let us not harden our hearts but open them instead so that GOD can transform us into his righteousness. *To pray One of the reasons we come to church is to pray and through that we communicate with GOD . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt 18:20. When believers pray in unity, with the same heart and same word, GOD moves. He honours the prayer of agreement and there is power in it. When Peter was imprisoned, the ceaseless corporate prayer made by the church unto GOD availed much and He moved on behalf of Peter and set him free. Acts 12:5. As we pray and also intercedes for one another GOD moves in our midst and we experience him and see the manifestation. A consistent prayer life is essential to sustain a church and to keep the church members committed. Iron sharpens Iron, as you come together to pray, you sharpen one another and push each other further to pray more.Prov 27:17. *To share testimonies. Testimony is telling others about what the LORD has done for one; it is a form of witness and we learn from each other. Jesus encourages us to be testifying to the goodness of the LORD. He told the demon possessed that he healed, ”Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. So the man went and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”Mark5:19-20. When we share testimonies of what GOD has done, it is an evidence of victory and proof that GOD is working in the life of the testifier. Testimonies reassure believers of the faithfulness of GOD encourage them to put their confidence in him. When ever you come to church to testify or to listen, either way you are being blessed, you receive more of God’s goodness and mercy, and it helps building up faith. Apart from all the above listed, we also come to serve in the church and not only to be served. Not everyone can mount the pulpit to preach, but there are many other activities in the church that need hands. Activities such as ushering, cleaning, follow up, teaching in Sunday school classes evangelising and so on. In all these we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to function very well. As you get involved in such activities, your hidden gifts will begin to surface. Just like Stephen and the other six men who were appointed as deacons to serve the widows. Acts6:1-6. On this note, I admonish you serve in any of the departments in the church so that your hidden gift can be discovered and utilized and you will become a vessel unto honour in the household of GOD. It is through serving that your gift can be unmasked and begin to manifest. So don’t just come to be served - to hear the sermon, to pray and to depart. Let us join the team of workers and use the gifts GOD gave us to be a blessing to others , serving wholeheartedly and with love.”Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to serve”Mk10:45. We also come to church to give through our tithe and offering. The scriptures says “No one should appear before the LORD empty handed. “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” Deu 16:16b-17. You give to meet the need of the church, support the projects and the programs of the church and also give to the needy in your midst. *To fellowship. Above all we come to fellowship with GOD and with one another for GOD created us for fellowship.1Cor1:9,1Jn1:3. We fellowship with GOD through praise and worship, communicating with him through prayer and thanksgiving, and we express the fellowship through dinning on the bread which is a symbol of Jesus’ body broken for us and drinking the wine which is also a symbol of his blood during the Holy communion. We get closer to GOD and grow spiritually when we fellowship with him. When we gather, we get stronger, grow together spiritually, we encourage each other and experience God’s presence. Gal 6:1a. As we fellowship together in love, our relationship is strengthened, we become our brother’s keeper, we see ourselves as members of the same family and relate as such with the love of Christ binding us together. Behold,how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.Ps 133:1. Brethren, coming to church is always a blessing, because no one leaves without being touched by GOD. Having said much about the purpose of coming to church, it is instructive to also know what coming to to church is Not for and should Not be for. Since the church is the habitation of divine presence, we must enter with humility and honour and come with awe before GOD whom we have come to meet. Brethren, *The church is not for gossip and backbiting. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”Eph 4:29. Never sow discord among brethren and avoid saying or doing what will cause disunity . *The church is not a market where buying and selling takes place. “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. He said to them, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘ a den of robbers’. “Matt21 :12-13. Jesus actually scattered the coins of the money changers at the temple courts and told those who sold doves to stop turning his Father’s house into a market. Jn2:16. This simply means that buying and selling should not be part of what we come to church for and should not be encouraged or entertained at all. *It is not a fashion house. “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.”1Tim2:9. Dress to cover your nakedness, but not to distract others. Distraction also comes from moving around, side discussions, scrolling on phones, and making calls during worship or the sermon. And be aware that “The LORD is in the holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”Hab 2:20. *Finally, you don’t come to church to sleep, doze off or jest but to listen with rapt attention to the sermon and participate actively in the church programs.” We shall not miss our day of visitation or our miracle in Jesus’ name. The church is the habitation of divine presence, the LORD is in his temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Therefore come with awe and enter with humility and honour and be expectant. Prayer. Father, Help us to live out fully the purpose of coming to church. Enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth . Teach us to serve with love and willing hearts, to give with cheerful hearts, to walk in love and in true fellowship with one another. And above all, help us to seek you more and relate with you more. In Jesus’ name. Amen. PURPOSE OF COMING TO CHURCH. “Purpose “ -Is the reason or intention behind an action or something. It is what an action is meant to or supposed to achieve. It is an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides one’s planned actions. It could be an intention, objective or goal intended to be attained. It can simply be defined as “the reason behind what you are doing or what you intend to do. “Coming”-Moving by any means towards something or a place. In this context, you are moving towards the church. One can say you set out to get to the church and that is your destination. “Church”- In this context is referred to as a place of worship.Jn4:23. A house of prayer.Matt21:13. His (Jesus) Father’s house.Jn 2:16. GOD’s dwelling place.Ex25:8. A place where the word of GOD is taught.Lk13:10. It is a place where believers, the elect of GOD gather to meet, praise and worship Jesus Christ, the head of the church. It is the natural habitation of divine presence and as such you come in with awe and reverence. The purpose of coming to church is multidimensional. The scriptures say”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”Heb10:25. Coming to the church should be a thing of joy as David mentioned “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”Ps 23:1. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”Ps84:10.”I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”Ps122:1.” In thy presence is fullness of joy.”Ps16:11. Even from David’s writing, one can see that coming to the church is loaded with many reasons. Therefore we should come with expectations and with the belief that we won’t go back without being blessed. Let us consider some of the reasons behind our coming to church. To meet Jesus and offer praise and worship to him.Heb13:15. To encounter and glorify GOD together .Jn4:23, Ps95:6. To learn the word of GOD. Acts2:42,2 Tim3:16. For prayer.Matt21:13 To testify to the goodness of the LORD through testimonies.Rev12:11. To fellowship with others.Heb10:25. Let us consider the points listed above one by one. *To praise and worship the LORD. The Father expects us to worship him in the spirit and in truth and this is confirmed when Jesus said in Jn4:23-24. So he is worthy of worship and in humble awe we come to worship him. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshippers must worship in the spirit and in truth.” And the psalmist says Come,”let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.“ Ps95:6. We are coming to church to worship and as we sing, praise and worship, our praise goes up and GOD inhabits it and rain blessings upon us. Through praise and worship we receive blessings from above. *To learn the word. The word of GOD is our spiritual food that we feed on when we come to church and even when out of church just like the body needs food daily. Matt4:4, 1Peter2:2. It is our light, when life is dark and confusing , the word illuminates and lights up our path.Ps119:105. It is our mirror, whenever we hear or read it, it tells us the truth about ourselves.James 1:23-25. The word is for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. As we listen to the word, and apply it, it transforms and trains us in righteousness.2Tim 3:16-17. The word not only corrects, reproves, trains, it also helps our faith to wax stronger. And it is only by hearing it, that we can build up our faith. Rom 10:11. You can not buy or manufacture or transfer faith, so coming to church to hear the word enhances one’s faith and spiritual growth. The word you hear can not be taken away from you and a life built on the word will stand when storms of life come. The word carries life and power to heal. “They are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” Prov 4:22. When Jesus sent out the word to the centurion’s servant, he was healed. Matt8:8,16. As we hear the word, let us not harden our hearts but open them instead so that GOD can transform us into his righteousness. *To pray One of the reasons we come to church is to pray and through that we communicate with GOD . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt 18:20. When believers pray in unity, with the same heart and same word, GOD moves. He honours the prayer of agreement and there is power in it. When Peter was imprisoned, the ceaseless corporate prayer made by the church unto GOD availed much and He moved on behalf of Peter and set him free. Acts 12:5. As we pray and also intercedes for one another GOD moves in our midst and we experience him and see the manifestation. A consistent prayer life is essential to sustain a church and to keep the church members committed. Iron sharpens Iron, as you come together to pray, you sharpen one another and push each other further to pray more.Prov 27:17. *To share testimonies. Testimony is telling others about what the LORD has done for one; it is a form of witness and we learn from each other. Jesus encourages us to be testifying to the goodness of the LORD. He told the demon possessed that he healed, ”Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. So the man went and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”Mark5:19-20. When we share testimonies of what GOD has done, it is an evidence of victory and proof that GOD is working in the life of the testifier. Testimonies reassure believers of the faithfulness of GOD encourage them to put their confidence in him. When ever you come to church to testify or to listen, either way you are being blessed, you receive more of God’s goodness and mercy, and it helps building up faith. Apart from all the above listed, we also come to serve in the church and not only to be served. Not everyone can mount the pulpit to preach, but there are many other activities in the church that need hands. Activities such as ushering, cleaning, follow up, teaching in Sunday school classes evangelising and so on. In all these we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to function very well. As you get involved in such activities, your hidden gifts will begin to surface. Just like Stephen and the other six men who were appointed as deacons to serve the widows. Acts6:1-6. On this note, I admonish you serve in any of the departments in the church so that your hidden gift can be discovered and utilized and you will become a vessel unto honour in the household of GOD. It is through serving that your gift can be unmasked and begin to manifest. So don’t just come to be served - to hear the sermon, to pray and to depart. Let us join the team of workers and use the gifts GOD gave us to be a blessing to others , serving wholeheartedly and with love.”Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to serve”Mk10:45. We also come to church to give through our tithe and offering. The scriptures says “No one should appear before the LORD empty handed. “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” Deu 16:16b-17. You give to meet the need of the church, support the projects and the programs of the church and also give to the needy in your midst. *To fellowship. Above all we come to fellowship with GOD and with one another for GOD created us for fellowship.1Cor1:9,1Jn1:3. We fellowship with GOD through praise and worship, communicating with him through prayer and thanksgiving, and we express the fellowship through dinning on the bread which is a symbol of Jesus’ body broken for us and drinking the wine which is also a symbol of his blood during the Holy communion. We get closer to GOD and grow spiritually when we fellowship with him. When we gather, we get stronger, grow together spiritually, we encourage each other and experience God’s presence. Gal 6:1a. As we fellowship together in love, our relationship is strengthened, we become our brother’s keeper, we see ourselves as members of the same family and relate as such with the love of Christ binding us together. Behold,how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.Ps 133:1. Brethren, coming to church is always a blessing, because no one leaves without being touched by GOD. Having said much about the purpose of coming to church, it is instructive to also know what coming to to church is Not for and should Not be for. Since the church is the habitation of divine presence, we must enter with humility and honour and come with awe before GOD whom we have come to meet. Brethren, *The church is not for gossip and backbiting. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”Eph 4:29. Never sow discord among brethren and avoid saying or doing what will cause disunity . *The church is not a market where buying and selling takes place. “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. He said to them, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘ a den of robbers’. “Matt21 :12-13. Jesus actually scattered the coins of the money changers at the temple courts and told those who sold doves to stop turning his Father’s house into a market. Jn2:16. This simply means that buying and selling should not be part of what we come to church for and should not be encouraged or entertained at all. *It is not a fashion house. “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.”1Tim2:9. Dress to cover your nakedness, but not to distract others. Distraction also comes from moving around, side discussions, scrolling on phones, and making calls during worship or the sermon. And be aware that “The LORD is in the holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”Hab 2:20. *Finally, you don’t come to church to sleep, doze off or jest but to listen with rapt attention to the sermon and participate actively in the church programs.” We shall not miss our day of visitation or our miracle in Jesus’ name. The church is the habitation of divine presence, the LORD is in his temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Therefore come with awe and enter with humility and honour and be expectant. Prayer. Father, Help us to live out fully the purpose of coming to church. Enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth . Teach us to serve with love and willing hearts, to give with cheerful hearts, to walk in love and in true fellowship with one another. And above all, help us to seek you more and relate with you more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

THE PURPOSE OF COMING TO CHURCH. “Purpose “ -Is the reason or intention behind an action or something. It is what an action is meant to or supposed to achieve. It is an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides one’s planned actions. It could be an intention, objective or goal intended to be attained. It can simply be defined as “the reason behind what you are doing or what you intend to do. “Coming”-Moving by any means towards something or a place. In this context, you are moving towards the church. One can say you set out to get to the church and that is your destination. “Church”- In this context is referred to as a place of worship.Jn4:23. A house of prayer.Matt21:13. His (Jesus) Father’s house.Jn 2:16. GOD’s dwelling place.Ex25:8. A place where the word of GOD is taught.Lk13:10. It is a place where believers, the elect of GOD gather to meet, praise and worship Jesus Christ, the head of the church. It is the natural habitation of divine presence and as such you come in with awe and reverence. The purpose of coming to church is multidimensional. The scriptures say”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”Heb10:25. Coming to the church should be a thing of joy as David mentioned “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”Ps 23:1. “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”Ps84:10.”I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”Ps122:1.” In thy presence is fullness of joy.”Ps16:11. Even from David’s writing, one can see that coming to the church is loaded with many reasons. Therefore we should come with expectations and with the belief that we won’t go back without being blessed. Let us consider some of the reasons behind our coming to church. To meet Jesus and offer praise and worship to him.Heb13:15. To encounter and glorify GOD together .Jn4:23, Ps95:6. To learn the word of GOD. Acts2:42,2 Tim3:16. For prayer.Matt21:13 To testify to the goodness of the LORD through testimonies.Rev12:11. To fellowship with others.Heb10:25. Let us consider the points listed above one by one. *To praise and worship the LORD. The Father expects us to worship him in the spirit and in truth and this is confirmed when Jesus said in Jn4:23-24. So he is worthy of worship and in humble awe we come to worship him. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshippers must worship in the spirit and in truth.” And the psalmist says Come,”let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.“ Ps95:6. We are coming to church to worship and as we sing, praise and worship, our praise goes up and GOD inhabits it and rain blessings upon us. Through praise and worship we receive blessings from above. *To learn the word. The word of GOD is our spiritual food that we feed on when we come to church and even when out of church just like the body needs food daily. Matt4:4, 1Peter2:2. It is our light, when life is dark and confusing , the word illuminates and lights up our path.Ps119:105. It is our mirror, whenever we hear or read it, it tells us the truth about ourselves.James 1:23-25. The word is for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. As we listen to the word, and apply it, it transforms and trains us in righteousness.2Tim 3:16-17. The word not only corrects, reproves, trains, it also helps our faith to wax stronger. And it is only by hearing it, that we can build up our faith. Rom 10:11. You can not buy or manufacture or transfer faith, so coming to church to hear the word enhances one’s faith and spiritual growth. The word you hear can not be taken away from you and a life built on the word will stand when storms of life come. The word carries life and power to heal. “They are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” Prov 4:22. When Jesus sent out the word to the centurion’s servant, he was healed. Matt8:8,16. As we hear the word, let us not harden our hearts but open them instead so that GOD can transform us into his righteousness. *To pray One of the reasons we come to church is to pray and through that we communicate with GOD . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matt 18:20. When believers pray in unity, with the same heart and same word, GOD moves. He honours the prayer of agreement and there is power in it. When Peter was imprisoned, the ceaseless corporate prayer made by the church unto GOD availed much and He moved on behalf of Peter and set him free. Acts 12:5. As we pray and also intercedes for one another GOD moves in our midst and we experience him and see the manifestation. A consistent prayer life is essential to sustain a church and to keep the church members committed. Iron sharpens Iron, as you come together to pray, you sharpen one another and push each other further to pray more.Prov 27:17. *To share testimonies. Testimony is telling others about what the LORD has done for one; it is a form of witness and we learn from each other. Jesus encourages us to be testifying to the goodness of the LORD. He told the demon possessed that he healed, ”Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. So the man went and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”Mark5:19-20. When we share testimonies of what GOD has done, it is an evidence of victory and proof that GOD is working in the life of the testifier. Testimonies reassure believers of the faithfulness of GOD encourage them to put their confidence in him. When ever you come to church to testify or to listen, either way you are being blessed, you receive more of God’s goodness and mercy, and it helps building up faith. Apart from all the above listed, we also come to serve in the church and not only to be served. Not everyone can mount the pulpit to preach, but there are many other activities in the church that need hands. Activities such as ushering, cleaning, follow up, teaching in Sunday school classes evangelising and so on. In all these we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to function very well. As you get involved in such activities, your hidden gifts will begin to surface. Just like Stephen and the other six men who were appointed as deacons to serve the widows. Acts6:1-6. On this note, I admonish you serve in any of the departments in the church so that your hidden gift can be discovered and utilized and you will become a vessel unto honour in the household of GOD. It is through serving that your gift can be unmasked and begin to manifest. So don’t just come to be served - to hear the sermon, to pray and to depart. Let us join the team of workers and use the gifts GOD gave us to be a blessing to others , serving wholeheartedly and with love.”Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to serve”Mk10:45. We also come to church to give through our tithe and offering. The scriptures says “No one should appear before the LORD empty handed. “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” Deu 16:16b-17. You give to meet the need of the church, support the projects and the programs of the church and also give to the needy in your midst. *To fellowship. Above all we come to fellowship with GOD and with one another for GOD created us for fellowship.1Cor1:9,1Jn1:3. We fellowship with GOD through praise and worship, communicating with him through prayer and thanksgiving, and we express the fellowship through dinning on the bread which is a symbol of Jesus’ body broken for us and drinking the wine which is also a symbol of his blood during the Holy communion. We get closer to GOD and grow spiritually when we fellowship with him. When we gather, we get stronger, grow together spiritually, we encourage each other and experience God’s presence. Gal 6:1a. As we fellowship together in love, our relationship is strengthened, we become our brother’s keeper, we see ourselves as members of the same family and relate as such with the love of Christ binding us together. Behold,how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.Ps 133:1. Brethren, coming to church is always a blessing, because no one leaves without being touched by GOD. Having said much about the purpose of coming to church, it is instructive to also know what coming to to church is Not for and should Not be for. Since the church is the habitation of divine presence, we must enter with humility and honour and come with awe before GOD whom we have come to meet. Brethren, *The church is not for gossip and backbiting. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”Eph 4:29. Never sow discord among brethren and avoid saying or doing what will cause disunity . *The church is not a market where buying and selling takes place. “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. He said to them, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it ‘ a den of robbers’. “Matt21 :12-13. Jesus actually scattered the coins of the money changers at the temple courts and told those who sold doves to stop turning his Father’s house into a market. Jn2:16. This simply means that buying and selling should not be part of what we come to church for and should not be encouraged or entertained at all. *It is not a fashion house. “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.”1Tim2:9. Dress to cover your nakedness, but not to distract others. Distraction also comes from moving around, side discussions, scrolling on phones, and making calls during worship or the sermon. And be aware that “The LORD is in the holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”Hab 2:20. *Finally, you don’t come to church to sleep, doze off or jest but to listen with rapt attention to the sermon and participate actively in the church programs.” We shall not miss our day of visitation or our miracle in Jesus’ name. The church is the habitation of divine presence, the LORD is in his temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Therefore come with awe and enter with humility and honour and be expectant. Prayer. Father, Help us to live out fully the purpose of coming to church. Enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth . Teach us to serve with love and willing hearts, to give with cheerful hearts, to walk in love and in true fellowship with one another. And above all, help us to seek you more and relate with you more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

HOW TO. MANAGE PROVOCATION

HOW TO MANAGE PROVOCATION. Managing Provocation :- Scriptural Perspectives The key words in this sentence are “manage” and “provocation”. “Manage”- Is to act on , to cope, to carry on, to function,to handle effectively, or an attempt to overcome difficulty or challenge. “Provocation”-Acts or words that trigger anger, hurt or calls for defense. It is an unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment. It is something said or done that is meant to annoy, or stir up a reaction in someone. It is to irritate or anger on purpose. Provocation can come inform of- Abuse. Being maligned. Being misconstrued. Cheating. Denial of privilege. False accusation. False witness. Insult. Lying against. Maltreatment. Mockery. If you are faced with any of the above or other similar means, how do you cope, resolve, handle or overcome the situation? This sermon focuses on how to handle such with relevance to the Scriptures. You are to respond in such a way that you will not sin against God no matter how grave the provocation may be. Psa 119:11 “ Thy word have I hid in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.” Since you are responsible for your own attitude, words and actions but you can not control the person provoking you, you have to maintain your own personal peace and control your emotions. And remember that the scriptures say ”If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with every one.”Rom 12:18. It depends on you to manage the situation with wisdom and respond with a milder or gentle answer. Pro 15: 1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” You are to be patient and not rush to respond as in Pro 15:18. “A hot- tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.” The person provoking you may be spoiling for a fight, the onus is on you as a believer to calm the situation and let peace reign. And also we are admonished to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.James 1:19. And do not answer a fool according to his folly ,or you yourself will be just like him. Pro26:4. In other words, there must be a difference between you and a provoker. Your behavior must be christlike. More so the Scriptures say “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Rom 12:19. Brethren, if GOD says, he will avenge for you, why not allow him to do so? Keeping quiet is not weakness but strength and remember that you are admonished to not repay anyone evil for evil.Rom 12:17. Provocation pushes one into an instant action but reaction is optional and application of self control can act as a pause button. Self control is part of the fruit of the spirit which a believer must exhibit at all times. Provocation exposes what is already in one but one must let the Holy Spirit produce patience and self control. One should never respond impulsively. Provocation can also be managed by praying quietly to GOD to set a guard over one’s mouth and keep watch over the door of one’s lips. Ps141:3. For someone living an active prayerful life, it won’t be difficult to ask GOD for grace to be able to respond with wisdom and love or to keep mute or even walk away from the scene and go on one’s way as if nothing had happened. Let us consider how provocation was managed by characters such as Hannah, Nehemiah, Stephen and Jesus Christ. Hannah: 1 Sam1:10-21. Hannah in her deep anguish was praying and weeping bitterly at Shiloh, and as she kept praying to the LORD, in her heart and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard, Eli the priest sitting by the doorpost of the LORD’s house noticed her and misconstrued her heartfelt prayer as drunkenness. And Eli said, “ How long are you going to stay drunk?”Put away your wine.” This is provocative enough for you to be praying with all your heart to the LORD, and for someone to assume you were drunk. But instead of getting provoked, she responded calmly and with humility. “Not so, my lord,” “ I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 1 Sam1:15-16. Eli asked her to go in peace and prayed that God of Israel will grant her what she had asked for. Brethren, provocation can be managed by being calm, polite, respectful and humble when responding, as demonstrated by Hannah.1Sam1:15. One can learn from the way Hannah managed when provoked. Nehemiah: Neh 2-6. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to king Artaxerxes in Susa. When he had that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates have been burned with fire he was heartbroken and wore a sad face to the extent that the king noticed his countenance and had to ask him the reason why. Because of his love and concern for his people and Jerusalem he had to give up the cupbearer job with the permission and support of the king to come to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. But on getting to Jerusalem, while rebuilding with some like minds that he gathered, he was despised, humiliated, insulted, mocked and ridiculed by Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Despite all the provocations, through their actions , utterances and plots, Nehemiah was able to manage the situation very well. The provokers made statements like ” What are those Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble- burned as they are.? What are they building - even a fox climbing up on it would break down their walls of stones!”Neh2:2-3. When Sanballat and Tobiah heard what Nehemiah’s people said “Let us start rebuilding,” they mocked and ridiculed them and said “What is this you are doing?”Are you rebelling against the king?”Neh 2:18–19. Despite all these, Nehemiah neither dialogued nor traded insults with them, instead he prayed intermittently. He responded to each of their blasphemy with prayers as follows.”The God of heaven will give us success.”Neh2:20. Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”Neh 4:4-5. Again the provokers and mockers planned to come and fight against Jerusalem but Nehemiah and his people prayed to their God.Neh 4:9. From Nehemiah’s response, one can conclude that he is a man of prayer, believes in the efficacy of prayer and he is a man of faith. He refused to be provoked to sin against God. He focused on what he was doing and he applied wisdom by posting guards to watch over the wall and ward off attackers. So the wall was completed in fifty -two days.Neh 6:15. Nehemiah was able to manage provocation by relying totally on God through prayer. He also applied wisdom and remained focused and strategic. Stephen: Acts 6:8-15, 72-60. Stephen, a deacon, was a man full of faith, the Holy Spirit and of God’s grace and power. GOD enabled him to perform great wonders and signs among the people. Because of this, opposition rose among members of the Synagogue against him. They argued with him and lied against him and secretly persuaded some men to say he blasphemed against Moses and God. They produced false witnesses who testified that Stephen kept speaking against the holy place and the law. He did not argue and did not trade words with them. But when the high priest asked him whether the charges against him were true, he did not defend anything , he only gave historical background of how the glory of God appeared to their father Abraham, and God’s promise to him through Isaac, and Jacob and how Moses and the Israelites moved through the wilderness. When he then said that they always resist the Holy Spirit and that they betrayed and murdered the Righteous One, members of the Sanhedrin became furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But He said” Look”, “ I see heaven open and the son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:56. This made them more furious and they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Instead of reacting he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:60. Having said that , he fell asleep. Despite all that was done to Stephen, he refused to be provoked, he maintained his composure and prayed, “Lord Jesus,receive my spirit,” and “Lord,do not hold this sin against them.” What a godly and peaceful way to manage provocation. Stephen showed us the most peaceful way to manage provocation: like Jesus,he prayed for those who were killing him.Acts 7:59-60, Lk 23: 34. Jesus Christ: Lk 23:1 - 46. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ epitomises the ultimate in response to provocation. He perfectly demonstrated how provocation should be managed. Despite the fact that he faced the worst kind of provocation severally, he never sinned with his lips.1Pet2:23. The whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate and accused him by saying,” We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” Lk23:1-2. So Pilate asked Jesus, ”Are you the king of the Jews?”He simply replied “You have said so .” Then Pilate announced to the chief priest and the crowd, “ I find no basis for a charge against this man.” Instead of agreeing to what the Pilate said,they insisted ,”He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” Pilate then sent Jesus to Herod. Based on what Herod had heard about him, he asked him many questions but Jesus gave him no answer. Lk 23:9. He was vehemently accused, ridiculed and mocked by the chief priests, teachers of the law, Herod and his soldiers. Despite Pilate’s appeal to the mockers to let him release Jesus, they kept shouting , Crucify him! Crucify him.Lk 23;20. Pilate granted their demand and Jesus was led away, and he was crucified along with the criminals- one on his right and one on the left. On the cross , Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”Lk23:34. He was still mocked further, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. “And there was a written notice above him , which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Worst still, one of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him ;”Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! Again he did not respond. Despite the fact that Jesus was insulted, mocked, humiliated,sneered at, spit at, rejected and provoked immediately following his trial and condemnation by Pilate and even when crucified, he remained well composed and silent. But still prayed “Father, forgive them,for they do not know what they are doing?” Brethren, we can learn from Hannah,Nehemiah, Stephen and from our Lord Jesus Christ who epitomises the perfect way to handle and manage provocation. Prayer: Father, Grant me the grace to manage provocation in a godly and peaceful way and the grace to apply wisdom and self control when I am provoked. Amen. In Jesus’ name. . .