17 Feb 2019
– LFM – Sunday Teaching & Preaching Notes
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
-
Come to Church / presence of God with the intention to listen & obey more than speaking!!
-
Kumwambia shida zetu tu…but don’t take time to listen to the prescription & apply it!
Be careful of what we speak / vow – has serious implications
-
– Life & death is in the power of the tongue – create or destroy
-
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. – Proverbs 18:21
-
– taming a tongue – a restless evil full of poison, that can both bless & curse …James 3:8-10
-
– hard to take it back – like a bullet fired from a gun, maji yakimwagika hayazoleki
Anything that comes with a lot of power also needs a lot of control
-
Like a gun, powerful car or truck…Political (Trump / Uhuru), religious & family (Father) leadership…tongue
-
A slight error / use or misuse can cause a lot of unintended damage
-
…why a lot of people battle unintentional curses – Jacob unintentionally curses his wife Rachel – Genesis 31
It is no joking matter with God – can provoke His anger
-
Need to be careful with our words, especially with God
-
…mean what we say & say what we mean
-
Fear of the Lord is paramount
-
– Where we fist & foremost fear offending God in our thoughts, words & actions
~~~~
We have to reach another level of faith at Lord Favour where we believe that God is here and is speaking to us
-
Take time to meditate & listen – we shall be pleasantly surprised
-
I am tasting & seeing that the Word of God is indeed Good – Tamu sana
-
Yesu anatupatia matunda tamu tamu na sisi tunalenga – Sitaki, hata kuonja!!?
-
-
The Word of God is indeed Living & Powerful
-
Need to taste & see that the Lord is good
E.g. Brother Gilbert — Romans 12:17-21
-
Don’t pay evil for evil but payback with love
-
Strive to be at peace with everyone, even enemies
-
Leave vengeance to the Lord
Exactly how someone was provoked and tested this past week
-
Challenge – did we come to Church with the intention of listening and obeying?
-
Did we pass the test of faith in Romans 12?
One holds salvation / Word of God with both hands – try lifting my child above me
-
Am I carrying Jesus or the devil?
-
…or am I just dragging Jesus around for my convenience!?
-
– Jesus – His Yoke is easy, His burden light
-
– To do contrary will mean they have to put Him down and deal with the flesh / world
-
– Weka Yesu chini…tukutane mbele
Kumbebe Yesu Ni Effort!
Carrying Jesus implies there is a yoke & burden!
BUT…
Carrying Jesus is in fact letting Him carry us
-
Kubebe Yesu (Kumkubali ndani ya taabu fulani ) ndio kumruhusu atubebe
-
…He is Bigger than our biggest problem, Stronger than our toughest fight…
-
Like – Noah’s Ark – The Ark of Christ – Yeshua ( Boat in Kiswahili!!)
-
– We allow him to carry us through the storms of life – taabu za maisha
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
-
– Kuja kwangu na hiyo shida yako – come with your issue …e.g. someone intentionally provoking me to anger
-
– Chukua Neno langu likufundishe kwa hilo jambo – take & apply My Word to that situation
-
– And you will find the peace of God in that situation – salama rohoni
-
-… it will surpass understanding especially for the enemy and leave them confused
-
– Eventually, Neno lake Yesu (Applying the Word) is easier to bear and its burden lighter than doing it any other / worlds way
-
…..or, the S-Word (Spiritual Word) of the spirit will cut to pieces (break it down) the problem we have
- ….Applying the S-Word of the Lord to find The Rest of God
Jesus – Yeshua – Ark of Christ – The Word of God …is the Rest of God!
-
When we hide in the Word of God – resting on what God has said – we shall have rest / peace of God
-
Word of God is Living and Active – inafanya kazi yake
-
Best explained in Hebrews 4
-
Excerpt – Hebrews 4:9-11 (NLT)
-
9 So there is a special rest[f] still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
-
For the Word of God is living & active…
Revelation –
THE REST OF GOD IS JESUS CHRIST — THE WORD OF GOD
Do I labor to enter the Rest of God in each and every situation of my life that I may find peace with it?
-
Marriage
-
Children
-
Work / business / finances
-
Family, Relatives & friends
-
Health
Have I applied the Word of God in these situations or am I still trying to carry it myself?
~~~~~~~
Acts 14:21 – 23 – Paul & Barnabas spreading the Gospel
The Word of God – Jesus Christ – The Good News is there to…
-
Strengthen & encourage believers
-
Remind them that there is indeed a yoke & burden attached to carrying Jesus
-
…we have to carry him with both hands & not drag Him around for use at our convenience!!
But with prayer & fasting ( seeking first the Kingdom & Righteousness), we can indeed
-
…Do all things through Christ who strengthens us …Philippians 4:13
-
…Because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world …1 John 4:4
-
…For God’s grace is sufficient for His power is perfected in my weakness…2 Corinthians 12:9
1 Timothy 1:12
-
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.
-
– I am strengthened before considered faithful to do what He wants me to do
-
– God is the one who enables me to do what He wants me to do …
… Philippians 2:13
– For God is working in me, giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
~~~~
Take Home….
Come into the presence of God with the intention of listening and obeying more than speaking.
Obedience means that we agree to carry / apply the Word of God in our life
Carrying the Word / Jesus – with both hands – means singular effort & focus on Him has to be there
-
A yoke and burden implied – Kubeba Yesu ni EFFORT
-
..fasting & praying – as spirit & flesh are opposed and contrary to one another – Galatians 5:17
-
Can only carry Him alone – with both hands…
-
…not hiding one hand behind…no plan B
We carry the Word of God – Jesus Christ – The Rest of God – The Peace of God
-
Like Noah, we shall find the peace of God in the situation (storm / flood) we apply it to
In evangelism when we invite people to enter the boat of Christ
-
They are to be strengthened & encouraged
-
For the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel is
-
…As the Boat that is Christ …carries the load & protects us as the storms of life rages against or around us
THE LIVING WORD 4 LIFE 