2023 December Retreat
Emmanuel
Faithfulness to God in Perilous Times
Revelation 2:8-10;12-15; 3:1-5 The perilous times the scriptures mention are here with us; they are being played before our very eyes. Faithfulness to God is fast becoming an endangered species and faces threats of extinction. Age-old Christian convictions are not only being shaken but are increasingly being abandoned. Many a Christian is playing the chameleon to ‘survive’ and ‘outsmart’ the perilous times. God still remains eternally faithful: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself (2…
Unrelenting Commitment to the Unfinished Task
John 4:34-35; Matthew 9:36-38; 28:18-20; Acts 23:10-11 “We bear the torch that flaming fell from the hands of those who gave their lives proclaiming that Jesus died and rose; ours is the same commission, the same glad message ours; fired by the same ambition, to you we yield our powers.” – Facing a Task Unfinished by Frank Houghton P1. The Description of the Unfinished Task Joshua 13: 1-6; Matthew 28:18-20; Judges 1: 21,27,29,30,31,-36 U – Uncovering the light and shine.…
Fellowship, Faithfulness and Forgiveness in the Family
Psalm 128:1-6 The importance of the Christian family cannot be overemphasised. It is the first and basic unity of every society; in fact, the nursery from which the nucleus of the church, the society and the state is transplanted. The condition of any church, society and nation, therefore, is a direct reflection of the condition of the families. For any family to function as God intended, three key ingredients must be present: Faithfulness ought to be the bedrock; whereas fellowship…
The Tamed Tongue and the Transformed Life
Mathew 12:33-37; Proverbs 18:21; 1 Peter 3:10; James 3:5-8 P1. The Portrait Of A Tameless Tongue And A Graceless Life Proverbs 18:21; Jeremiah 9:5, 8; Proverbs 13:18; Psalm 10:7; Proverbs 17:20 P2. The Possibility Of A Tamed Tongue And A Graceful Life Mathew 19:26; Proverbs 18:21; Isaiah 50:4; Songs 4:11; Proverbs 25:15; 15:4 P3. The Profit Of A Transformed Tongue And A Gracious Life Isaiah 48:17; I Corinthians 7:35; 12:7, 14:6; I Samuel 25:23-35; Numbers 6:25
The Consecration of Heavenly-Minded Citizens
1 Chronicles 29:1-12 The believer’s consecration to God is the sure evidence and the proof of their heavenly-mindedness. In the same vein, no one can claim to be heavenly-minded if they find it difficult to take their hands off their lives and allow God to take His rightful place on the throne of their hearts. Consecration and heavenly-mindedness are therefore, two different sides of the same coin – a truly consecrated believer will be heavenly-minded, and a heavenly-minded believer will…