The convention continued on with this gripping message to help us think about how to respond appropriately to God's love that is show by giving Christ to die for our sin.

If God went as far as giving His life for us, what ought to be our response?

Should we not give our lives without reserve? Is there anything too precious to lose in order to gain such a love?

Matt 16:21-28

The steps to following Christ

1. Deny self

2. Take up own cross

3. Follow Christ

Anyone and everyone desiring to follow Christ must carry their own cross

When Christ went to the cross, power was released that triggered Christianity and forgiveness of sin.

We also must take up our cross for power to be released into our lives and ministry

John 12:20-22

The people wanted to see Jesus. THey said, Sir, we would see Jesus!

God wants us to seek Him not the things that come from Him. He must be the subject and the object of our worship.

John 6:1-2, 22-28 - These people did not seek Jesus but for the miracles He was doing.

It appears God is always analysing the purpose for which we serve Him and come to Him.

Heb 11:6 - He that cometh to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Psalm 91:14-16 The blessing of those who set their love upon God.

For setting love upon God, He will:

- deliver you

- set you on high

- He will answer you

- He will be with you in trouble and deliver you

- He will honor you

The people in Matt 6 that at the beginning were blessed for coming to Jesus, later on followed because of the bread. Follow Him geniuinely for Him.

1. You are a priest.

Pastor describes doing for the people. Priest is in relation to what you do for and towards God.

We are first priests unto God, before even service to people.

1 Peter 2:9 - As long as we can identify with being called out of darkness into His marvellous light, we are priests

Ephesians 5:8 calls us darkness before we are in His light.

Rev 1:5-6 - He loved us and washed us in His own blood and made us kings and priests...

2. The prayers we offer are incense to the LORD.

Psalms 141:2

Revelation 5:5-8 - v8 The prayers of the saints are incense

Revelation 8:3-

3. The priest ministers to the LORD, not for the LORD.

Hebrews 8:3

God wants continuous incense, prayers offered at all times.

Exodus 30:7-8

5. A priest sins when he does not offer the incense of prayer - this is every believer.

1 Samuel 12:23. We are to pray without ceasing - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

6. A priest is able to save or cause salvation by intercession

Hebrews 7:25

7. Great miracles happen to the priest as he performs his priestly duty

Luke 1:5-18 - the things happened to Zacharias when he was ministering incense

Eph 5:19-28

In

order to have a successful marriage, both parties must know the Lord. It is when a husband knows Christ and how He loves the Church, that he can love his wife as Christ loves the

Church.

- John 3:16

- 1 John 4:7, 8

- Romans 5:5

- Our capacity to love each other comes from God. Someone may have good

intentions, and promise to love his / her spouse, but without God's

help, they will not be able to continue giving the love after they have been wronged.

- God also instructs a wife to submit to her husband as unto the LORD, but how can she unless she is first submitted to the LORD? She will rather think submission is oppression.

- 1 Corinthians 13:1-4

- Anyone who wants a successful marriage should stay close to God and take his Christian walk seriously.

During this prayer and fasting period, we will be reading from the book “Sweet Influences of the Holy Spirit” by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills. In this episode, Bishop Joel highlights various topics discussed in the book.

- We need to pray that we will receive the Holy Spirit during this season. John 14.26, John 16.13, 1 John 2.27, 1 John 2.20

- The Holy Spirit helps us to resist the desires, urges and lusts of the flesh. 1 Peter 1.12

- The Holy Spirit sanctifies us.

- The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual strength. Ephesians 3.14-16, Isaiah 11.2, 3  

- The Holy Spirit makes us wise and gives us knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Knowledge is what we know. Wisdom is the ability to use our knowledge. Understanding helps us to know the value of our knowledge and what it can do for us.

- The Holy Spirit gives us might to help us to do what we need to do.

- The fear of the Lord helps us to reverence God, think about God and have a deeper understanding of God. The fear of the Lord affects how we relate to God and to other people.

- The Holy Spirit gives us strength by giving us might.

- The Holy Spirit gives us physical strength. Demons also give physical strength. Physical strength comes from the spirit world for good or for evil. Acts 19.14-16 , Mark 5.2-4 , Judges 14.5, 6, Judges 14.19 , Judges 15.15, Luke 4.1-4

- Jesus was strengthened to overcome temptation. The Holy Spirit will give us the strength to overcome our temptations.

- The Holy Spirit makes us intelligent. Intelligence helps us make good decisions in life.

- The Holy Spirit influences our character.

- The Holy Spirit influences our ability to love.

- The Holy Spirit influences our words.

- The Holy Spirit influences our level of obedience.

- The Holy Spirit influences our boldness.

- The Holy Spirit influences our willingness and eagerness.

- The Holy Spirit influences our creativity.

- The Holy Spirit influences our productivity.

Luke 1:26-56

- God is certainly smarter than us, having made the universe and us. Even when His instruction look absurd to us, they are higher than our thinking.

- Mary's attitude of 'be it unto me according to thy will' is one we'd be wise to adopt

Isaiah 55:8-11

- God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours

1 Corinthians 1:20-21

- The foolishness of God is wiser than man

1. It seems that God will not act on our behalf until we pray. Ezekiel 26:37, Matthew 6:8 - Even when He is saying that He knows what we need before we pray, He is mentioning expecting that we will still pray.

2. It seems that God wants us to ask about the same things that we have asked for before. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1,7-8

3. Even though God wants us to keep asking, it seems that He finds some prayers boring and repetitious. Matthew 6:6-7

4. It seems that some prayers need to be very long and others very short. Mark 1:35, Luke 6:12-13, Matthew 26:40-41

- So when should we pray for a long time and when should we pray for a short time? From Jesus' example, He prayed ling when He was going to take big decisions - like when He was going to choose the disciples, or when He was going to encounter challenging times - like when He was about to go to the cross.

ends. A lot of accidents, sudden deaths and other strange occurrences

happen as the year comes to a close. Therefore it is very important

to pray every day. Prayer is mysterious because God is mysterious.

journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between

Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.2And

Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king

of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.3But God came

to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art

but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a

man's wife.4But Abimelech had not come near

her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?5Said

he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He

is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands

have I done this.6And God said unto him in a

dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy

heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore

suffered I thee not to touch her.7Now

therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall

pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know

thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

restricted to our prayer. God will become involved in our lives if we

pray and ask Him to help us. He will not do anything about our

problems if we do not pray. Many situations in our lives will change

if we decide to be prayerful.

vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,

walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

ends. A lot of accidents, sudden deaths and other strange occurrences

happen as the year comes to a close. Therefore it is very important

to pray every day. Prayer is mysterious because God is mysterious.

journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between

Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.2And

Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king

of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.3But God came

to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art

but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a

man's wife.4But Abimelech had not come near

her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?5Said

he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He

is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands

have I done this.6And God said unto him in a

dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy

heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore

suffered I thee not to touch her.7Now

therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall

pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know

thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

restricted to our prayer. God will become involved in our lives if we

pray and ask Him to help us. He will not do anything about our

problems if we do not pray. Many situations in our lives will change

if we decide to be prayerful.

vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,

walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.