TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Scripture: Titus 1:1-5

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18 (KJV)

When God gives an assignment, it may be bigger than you and might require others to join you to complete it. Moses needed Aaron, Joshua and the 70 elders. David needed his mighty men and Jesus needed his disciples. Paul also required people to join him in his work to preach the gospel and to strengthen the churches he had planted. One of such people who joined him in his ministry was Titus.

HE NEVER FORSAKES

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:32-51

“For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake…” 1 Samuel 12:22 (KJV)

The life of a believer in Christ is one that is already set on an upward and forward trajectory (Pro 4:18, II Cor 3:18). Yet the path to greater glory will not be devoid of challenges. Challenges are forces intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not. Challenges are bound to come but how you react to them will determine the outcome – victory or failure.

SERVICE TO GOD

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:1-12

“And the ark of the Lord continued in the house Obed-edom he Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.” 2 Samuel 6:11 (KJV)

Service is an act done willingly or compulsorily. When the act of service is carried out compulsorily, it may be done with a lack of passion and enthusiasm that can lead to complacency. However, when service is carried out willingly, it is done with a joy and hope that opens the door for the one serving to reap the benefits attached to service.

THE BEAUTY OF HIS GLORY

 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:11-22

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1 (KJV)

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Share what you experienced the last time you witnessed to someone.

When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, with a strong and mighty hand, the other nations around them were afraid to go to war against them. These nations were not afraid of Israel’s military might or power, but because of the glory of God ever present with them (v.6-7). Israel, however, soiled their relationship with God through disobedience to him.

SERVE WITH REVERENCE

Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:13-20

“Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:30 (KJV)

In our society today, a lot of people know exactly what the law says, yet, they go ahead to break it thereby attracting judgment. Some find themselves in prison, others end up being killed. In like manner, Christians who know what God’s word says but do contrary will face God’s wrath in their lives.

SPIRITUAL FREQUENCY

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” John 16:13 (NLT)

Frequency is the rate at which something occurs or is repeated over a particular period of time. Radio, television and mobile devices operate based on the principle of frequency to send and receive information. There are specific frequencies that are set on a transmitting device can be decoded by a receiving device. These devices are set to that same frequencies, otherwise no information would be passed.

Pastor Chris of the Hilltop International Christian Centre inviting you to Toplife Convention 2016

Rev. Chris Oarhe of the Hilltop International Christian Centre inviting you to Toplife Convention 2016, with Dr. Stepahnie Oarhe, Apostle Paul Odola, Dr. Joshua Afolabi and Dr. Ini Okpon

LEAD CORRECTLY

“... Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant... equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him...”  Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV)

Some fathers set negative examples that make life difficult for the rest of the family, especially the adolescents. Teenagers from such homes mayprefer to seek the advice of “water” (friends) to “blood” (parents). These teens may end up making unpleasant life changing decisions and unfortunately, become ‘slaves’ to the enemy. 

DELEGATION

“And Moses chose able men out of all Isreal and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens”  Exodus 18:25 (KJV)

Delegation is a method of carrying out a task through someone else especially a subordinate. It is a strategy that should be engaged if we must get things done faster. Delegation is most effective when it is supervised by the one who delegated the task. Delegation is not abdication, hence it requires supervision.

SOW TO MULTIPLY

Scripture: Mark 4:26-34

“I am the God that giveth thee the power to make wealth” Deuteronomy 8:18 (KJV)

Everything in life starts with a seed. When that seed is planted, it grows and yields more. We all have something to sow and invest. We have gifts, talents and abilities.

MULTIPLICATION BY FAITHFULNESS

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-7

“And I will multiply them, and they shall not be few, I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.” Jeremiah 30:19b (KJV)

Nothing multiplies except it has the capacity to multiply. Cars are meant to be driven on land. No matter how fast you drive a car, it cannot fly because it is not wired to fly neither does it have the capacity to fly.

SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-10

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.” Ephesians 6:5 (KJV)

Feedback: When was the last time I shared my faith with others?

People usually start jobs with good behavior or attitude but do not sustain it throughout the period of the service.

WEIGH YOUR ACTIONS

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:7-18

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)

When a farmer plants, he reaps a harvest. Actions are the same; they have consequences. David suffered a loss resulting from his actions. Through his pain, he acknowledged that his punishment was due to his wrongdoing (vv. 23-24).

PATIENCE, A VIRTUE

Scripture: 2 Samuel 15:6-10, 18:14-15

“For we have needs of patience….” Hebrews 10:36 (NKJV)

We all desire to excel and be at the top. We all have ambitions and plans we wish to achieve; prayers and requests we want answered. This, in itself, is not a bad thing.

BE PATIENT

Scripture: 2 Samuel 15:6-10, 18:14-15

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

Many folks expect instant miracles and answers once they make any request to God; if it does not occur as quickly as they had anticipated, they lose hope and try something else.

DEAL WITH THE SOURCE

Scripture: 1 Samuel 31:3-7

“…and the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain…;” Genesis 14:10 (KJV)

Everything in life rises and falls on leadership. When you  come across organizations or people that have failed, it is usually due to a leadership gap. When a good leader is at the helm of affairs, there tends to be success.

GOD HEARS

“Cast your cares upon the Lord...” Isaiah 55:22 (KJV)

Barrenness is a problem described as the absence of the ability or power to produce and it manifests in various forms and degrees. It can manifest as childlessness, stagnation and excessive losses without any hope of profit in business, or it can manifest in any other area of one’s life.

TRAIN A CHILD

“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

When a child displays an unpleasant character, people tend to blame it on a lack of home training. Because parents are chiefly responsible for a child’s training, they are to ensure their children are adequately trained at home.

DO NOT UNDERMINE GOD

“For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.” 1 Samuel 12:22 (KJV)

Feedback: Share how your service to God can benefit others.

Man has a tendency to quickly forget; and this is seen in the way the Israelites forgot all they went through in the land of Egypt when they arrived the Promised Land. It is good to forget sad times but forgetting the God that delivered you during your ordeal is dangerous.

SEEK HIM

“If thou wouldest seek unto God… thy latter end should greatly increase.” Job 8:5-7 (KJV)

Right from childhood, David worked with God. As a shepherd, taking care of his father’s flock, David encountered challenges in the field, which he overcame by the help of God. Among his brothers, he was selected by God to be king.

BE PEACEFUL

“But the children of Belial said, how shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.”  1 Samuel 10:27 (KJV)

VOW

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:11-23

“But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving. I will fulfil what i have vowed...” Jonah 2:9 (KJV)

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a vow as “a solemn promise or assertion specifically by which a person is bound to an act or condition.” A vow is a very serious matter for it can provide an avenue for the expression and propagation of God’s power in our lives or bring about God’s judgment on prevailing circumstances (Deut 23:21-23). Fulfilling a vow made to God brings greater blessings and solutions to pressing problems.

SEEK HIS CALL

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

“...speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. 1 Samuel 3:10 (KJV)

Alot of people say they do not hear from God. This, however, does not mean that God does not speak. He speaks to his children and still calls his servants into ministry from time to time.

A PERFECT FINISH

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:1-12

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.” Jude 1:24 (NLT)

God does not make mistakes and his will (when we believe) will always come to pass irrespective of obstacles, barriers or oppositions. As a Christian, once you know the will of God for your life, you do not need to struggle for its fulfillment; instead, be calm and believe in God for it to come to pass.

TRUST IN GOD

Scripture: Isaiah 41:8-10

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagle. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Many Christians, today are trusting in their own abilities rather in God. They would rather trust in their fellow man or on powerful connections. Trusting God requires that you believe he loves you and has the power to help you. This is the reason that when you got born again you were called a believer.

SERVING GOD

Scripture: Joshua 24:24; Deuteronomy 11:13-14

“If anyone serves me, he must follow Me, and where I am there will my Servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’’ John 12:26 (NKJV)

Feedback From Last Saturday: Share how you encouraged someone this week.

There are ways some believers submit to God that make him appear like a threatening deity. There are also ways some believers serve or obey divine instructions that gives God away as a frightening dictator or authority rather than a loving father.

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

Scripture: 1 Samuel 20:1-23

“...Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” 1 Samuel 20:42 (NLT)

True friendship is hard to establish but it does not mean it is impossible. Unfortunate experiences of the past, such as being let down by those we trust make it even more difficult to make new friends. We sometimes hold on for so long to actual and perceived grudges due to fear of being hurt again. This can make us unwilling to invest emotionally into others and prevent us from reaping the rich benefits that can come from true friendships.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Scripture: Matthew 22:35-38

“Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:7(NLT)

Alot of people today, are only concerned about their horizontal relationships. These are relationships that they have here on earth with fellow humans. They do not care about or get excited about their vertical relationship - their relationship with God. They fail to realize that this is where their power lies.

SEEK WISE CONSULTATION

Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:1-3

“Plans go wrong for lack of advice;

many advisers bring success.”

Proverbs 15:22 (NLT)

The Philistines experienced untold death, pains, destruction and hardship during the seven months the ark of God was with them (1 Sam. 5:6-9). This prompted the leaders to seek advice from their diviners in order to avert the continuous calamity that had befallen them. 

I WILL FOLLOW YOU, BUT...

Scripture: 1 Samuel 31:1-5

“…Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”

Matthew 8:21 (KJV)

In our everyday life, it is either we are following someone or someone is following us. People tend to demand and expect total allegiance from those who follow them but when they are expected to follow, they bring up excuses or give conditions without which, they would refuse to follow another. 

What was Saul’s armour-bearer still doing, hanging around Saul? After all, Saul was mortally wounded with a very slim chance of survival (v3). The easiest thing to have done was to abandon him. Rather, he not only stayed with him; he also died with him (v.5). He refused to act like the man who had told Jesus “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father” (Matt 8:21). Saul’s armour-bearer followed without excuses or conditions. What an example he is to us today.

DON’T BE SELFISH

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:21-31

“…freely ye have received, freely give.”

Matthew 10:8 (KJV)

When a child is given sweets by his father, the child, more often than not, would be unwilling to share his sweets with anyone else, not even with the father who had given him the sweets. People are naturally unwilling to share what they have received; even when it is received free. 

YOU NEVER CAN TELL

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:11-20

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

What would you do if you discovered in time that the person you are about to help had a hand in your present predicament? The options are endless; and more often than not, the option we choose would likely be in reaction to our situation. 

David and his men had reasons to maltreat or kill the Egyptian they met on their way to rescue the people of Israel that had been taken captive (v.12). After all, he belonged to the camp of those who had just plundered Israel. Little did they know that their seeming enemy had the solution to their problem. You never can tell what that little child, servant, colleague or stranger can do for you tomorrow. Why don’t you treat him with kindness? You can never tell when you “have entertained angels unawares”. 

Have you ever wondered how that Egyptian boy felt after he was fed and revived by his perceived enemy? Little wonder he chose to help “the enemy” that saved him. He was in fact “the angel” that David needed at that point in time to solve his most pressing problem. Imagine what would have happened if David had ignored him, or even killed him. You never can tell when that good deed will count for you. Keep at it. 

PRAYER: 

Lord, in the course of showing kindness to people, help me to look beyond the present in Jesus name, Amen.

FAITH BYTE:

As I help others daily, I meet with “my angels”; and they become a blessing to me.