OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD

Please welcome on stage Reverend David Brotherham as he brings us the word of

God for today. Oh, do it

better. Amen. I had the chance to travel. Please

had a chance to travel on I don't know whether Wednesday or Tuesday and I traveled and I had the

chance to go around Ghana some place far your

hometown foul in far hallelujah sometimes you can travel

like 12 hours sitting on yours and I'm not used to such long

hours of sitting when I got back to Ara I have to travel another 7 and 1/2 hours in the night to come here and preach

this morning those even slept are tired than

But I want to thank God for my life. I mean, when we had to cross rivers on on

things I've never crossed before, I I am grateful to God. Amen. So, if I'm standing here, I'm giving a thanksgiving

offering to God for my life, for bringing me home. Amen. Amen. And also

for the fact that whilst I was there, there were there were arm robber attacks on this house and yet God protected the

family. I am grateful to God that um whatever the enemy planned failed. Amen.

And so I I think God deserves a clap offering. We are grateful to him.

Use that to bring men to the saving light of Jesus Christ. When you are available, whenever

God calls, whenever God needs somebody to do something, you are available. You are serving

God. Okay. What if next two is? Okay. But what if next three weeks you are not available and you're not serving God and

whatever is the will of God if it's the will of God to pray is the will of God to care for others to pray for the sick

in the hospitals is the will of God to go and anoint the sick is the will of God to go and cast out devils the will

of God to do this or do that whatever the will of God teaches us in God's word you must be joyful and willing to do it.

Hallelujah. Amen and amen.

Book of Deuteronomy chapter 10 12-13 and it reads now Israel what does the

Lord statues which I have commanded thee this day for thy

good. What does it mean to serve God? to acknowledge that he is the greatest of

kings and is a privilege to serve him. What God demands of us is that we

must acknowledge who he is and that we must serve him and we must walk in all,

not some, in all of his ways, all of his prescribed ways. Some people believe

parts of the Bible and ignore parts of the Bible conveniently. What sits well

with their stomach? What doesn't sit well with their stomach, they

reject. Ladies and gentlemen, when we talk about serving God, we embrace all

of his ways. We embrace all things that we are called on to demonstrate our

obedience unto him and to keep his commandments.

Amen. Hallelujah.

In fact, I like the last part. He said, "You must keep every statue, every

commandment, every judgment of God because it is for your own good." And I know when he say this

things, people are a bit confused. The commandments of God is not for him. It's not so that God can reach you. In fact,

in the depth of your sin, no matter how dirty you are, God can still reach you. Please let nobody sell you that cockoo

story. that because you are a sinner, God hates you. No. No. You see, when you're in

hopelessness, God can still stretch out his hand and pick you from that hopelessness. That's what makes him God.

No one can do that. No, no dity can do that. But there's nothing you can do that will make God say, "I don't want

you anymore." But you are not to play that card out. You are to play out the card

where you cause him to find delight in you. where you cause him to be excited of you

as a son, as a daughter of God. Am I making sense, somebody? And so when God created commandments and

judgments and dealt with situations, how he judged certain people, they became

standards, what he required of certain people, it became

standards. For example, let me give you one classic example. When Cain and

Abel when a uh Cain killed Abel out of jealousy and God asked him where's thy

brother he asked God where am I my brother's keeper he was rude to God and God said do you think if you had

done right I would have rejected it you are angry because your brother gave a

more perfect offering you see from day one God has been a respector of no persons he's just

in his nature So when you're doing something to somebody and you know you are wrong, you

can't

because are you understanding me? The God we serve is

incredibly fair. Tell incredibly fair. Not the FIFA the FIFA can kind of

play fair. When you finish you want to find out whether the the referee was fair or not. Hallelujah. But God is

incredibly fair and everything and anyhow he has dealt with anybody in

scripture is a yastic of understanding or it's a measurement to understand how

he wants men to walk after him. Are you with

me? We cannot create our own new standards. We have to understand that when we talk about statutes and

judgments, we are talking about the ways God has dealt with people also things that has become his principles, things

he doesn't refrain

from. So the Bible says that these commandments are not what was that

noise. These commandments are not there for God. They are there for our own good. And so the ability to be willing

to obey and demonstrate our obedience in every plan and will of God is incredibly

important in serving [Music]

God. Have you moved the mouse from it again, sir?

The Bible says that all are invited to come into the saving grace of God, but

only few are chosen to serve God. In the book of Matthew 22:14, the Bible says, "For many are called, but few are

chosen." For many, tell somebody, for many are called, but few are

chosen. Is somebody with [Music] me? Is somebody with me? You can put

them all off here so that it doesn't disturb. They all Is that

you? Put the other one off.

That's not it. Put them back on. Put them back on. That's not it. Thank you.

All right. So, let's move on. Let's move on. So, can any and

everybody serve God? Not entirely. So, check your Bible in Psalm 11:6. It says

that my eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land. See, God calls people who

prove themselves reliable. Hello. I've heard people misquote that

scripture. Bible says he takes the poor man from the marlay and set him upon the mountains with princes and kings. God

doesn't call idiots and fools to serve him. Very, very important. Anybody who demonstrates the

lack of wisdom, the lack of depth of understanding isn't being sent by God.

Not showing the wisdom of men but the wisdom of God. These are two different things. A man may speak the right

language, right grammar and everything may be working within the confines of the wisdom of

men. But to walk under the counsel of the Almighty is to be able to be rich in the

understanding of the depth of his word. Are you with me? because his word now becomes the

foundations of your wisdom and the foundations of why you do what you

do. So the Bible says the fear of the Lord, the acknowledgment of God in

everything is the beginning of what? Wisdom or is the foundations to what?

Wisdom. Am I making sense to somebody? So God doesn't just call anybody who is

hungry, tired, anybody who's tried everything and failed and thinks God has called him. That is not

it. Don't go and throw people's destiny in the ditch because you have tried everything didn't work and you think

ministry will work. But God calls people who have proven themselves

faithful that they may dwell with him. He that has chosen to walk in

righteousness, he's the one that will serve God. Is that in your

Bible? H a just man, a perfect

man. He that walketh in a perfect way, he it is that will serve

God. And so God is looking for faithful people. If you're a person who understands

faithfulness, you understand what it means to be dependable, to be able to hold trust. When people trust you, you

don't disappoint them. When people believe in you, you go through the lens to fulfill

them. You are faithful enough for God to recruit you for his

work. Jesus comes and picks 12 apostles that nobody would have chosen. Nobody

would have chosen. None of the apostles was a useless person. None of them. Some were doctors. Some were what?

Accountants, tax collectors, fishermen of great skill who were even who even

were surprised. He said just said, "Let's cast the she said we've tr we've tried everything." These were

accomplished men who were faithful and dependable that God called them.

And so when we talk about serving God, it is not a situation whereby everybody

has failed to do the right thing and you have gotten up to give what you have to give. What do I mean by this? I'm not

saying that if you don't have a degree, you don't have a business, you cannot serve God. That's not what I said. What I'm saying is that if you don't

understand the value of time, when we say eight, you don't understand eight. When we say 12, you

don't understand 12. As for you, there's a new principle for you every day for everything. You love giving excuses for

everything. God cannot use you. Because you see, when God depends on you timely to save somebody, you disappoint God.

You've built a habit. You've built a desire to walk on your own level of principles. And so, God cannot call you

into his field. He cannot choose you into his field because you are not dependable.

Why do you think the apostles 12 apostles followed Jesus when at that time when he called

them he had not proven to them that he was the Messiah? The Bible said it was only when

he had gone to the cross and resurrected that they now knew and understood who they were walking

with. In fact, none of them knew who Jesus was. When Jesus asked, "Who do you

say I am?" Everybody was quiet. Then Peter said, "You are Jesus,

the son of the living God." said flesh and blood did I didn't myself even reveal it to you flesh and blood did not

it is the spirit of God who has spoken through you so none of them knew none of them

believe the Bible says after he had resurrected now they began to understand the things he was teaching them better

they began to appreciate who they have walked with that he was the son of the living God indeed and they were willing

to die for that cause willing to follow him but when things got worse they all ran away but

after the resurrection and the confidence of meeting him and knowing that he was the one who to save

the world, they were now willing to die for that cause. Ladies and gentlemen, if these

men were not faithful people, it would have been possible for them to serve a better and good cause that brought us

the gospel today.

In fact, none of them ever while Jesus was alive, Jesus received a complaint from the police that this man has taken

offering and duped us. But this man by chance has taken somebody's wife, somebody's property. This man by chance

has done this, has beaten somebody. Peter was was known to be somebody who

was quick-tempered. But never in the three and a half years of his ministry did anybody say uh Peter went to preach

the person wasn't receiving the word Peter beat the person. These were not useless people.

When we say 12 men nobody would have chosen they weren't the kind that normally goes into human

ministry. If we were to choose the council of the sahindrin and the rest the qualification for them to walk in

god these 12 apostles would have not been selected. They were far away from that grace known

to men. But this was the kind God was looking for. This was the kind God found

faithful. So I don't know how you kind of find it tired Lydia as a teacher. You

can't be tired and tired on the days you are supposed to go and serve God. I'm not saying you guys are not working

hard. I know you work hard. I respect your labor. In fact, I respect your hustle. Some of you really work hard.

This banker works very hard, but he can't afford to be late when it's time to serve God. He can't afford to ignore

rehearsals on a Saturday when he knows he has to make sure that the team and everybody sings greatly on a

Sunday. Your work begins a day before the Sunday and ends at the end of the

Sunday. It doesn't begin on a Sunday morning. So the minute you come to

understand these principles and you prove yourself faithful in them then you can boldly say you are serving

God.

Amen. What is happening? What is

opportunity? Opportunity is chance. Tell us what is chance.

Opportunity refers to the word occasion or an opening. Finding the occasion to earn

godly rewards in one's lifetime is to prove one's love for God

and sincerely walk with God. Listen to me

carefully. To find the occasion in life to earn godly rewards come from serving

God. You see, you can only serve God in one's lifetime. You can't do it in the grave.

We'll come to that later. Whilst there's the breath of life in you, that is the only time you can

serve God. That is the only time. Then the opportunity to serve God. What is the

opportunity to serve God? So if you enter into a church and you find that there's an opportunity for someone to be

in charge of or offering department to support the oring department to support the music ministry you don't look at the

church and size it up and down and say this church crow how many people are in it this ministry crow how much

international organation do they have are there rich people parking their cars in the church are you with me are you

with me ladies and gentlemen when there is a vacuum for God's work avail yourself that's That's

what I'm trying to say. Then can you receive godly rewards in your

lifetime? By serving him, you prove your love for God and you have a chance to

sincerely walk with God on the face of this earth as Abraham and the rest walked with God sincerely. There is no

hiding. Even in your sin, you are still walking with God. Even in your failure, still chasing after him. Even your

frustration, even when you are angry at pastor, you are still coming because it's a sincere relationship with God and

not just pastor. Are you understanding what I'm trying to say? Colossians

3:23-25 says, "And whatsoever you do, do it heartily out of your heart sincerely

unto the Lord and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the

reward of the inheritance." Number one, for you serve the Lord

Christ, but he doeth but he that doeth wrong shall

receive for the wrong which he had done. For there is for and that and there is

no respect of persons in Christ. Are you with me church? Are you

with me church? So the Bible says in Colossians 3 that

whatsoever I don't know what you're doing whether yours is to take care of orphans whether yours is to care for

those who are brokenhearted whether yours is to encourage and motivate whether yours is to sponsor to finance

the gospel whatever yours is that you're doing the Bible says never assume you're doing it for men do it for God with all

of your heart with all of your mind with all of your strength with all of your soul. Knowing this that whatever you do, you

do it unto Jesus and you shall receive the inheritance. What is the inheritance? What is the

inheritance? What is the inheritance of the believer? Every promise in God's word.

Number one. Number two, the Bible says that the is the lamb who was slain to

receive to receive what? Let's mention them. Glory,

honor, riches, wisdom.

[Music]

went to the cross to die. So there cannot be a Christian who is poor on the

face of this earth. And that's a strange mystery. I've taught it before. I thought you

remember. I've taught this before. And so when Bible speaks of the

inheritance, that is the things God has given to his son Jesus. Power, glory,

witches, wisdom. Every promise of God in the Bible is not for Israel. It's for

us. So the Bible says all the promise of God are yeah and amen in Christ Jesus.

For any man who is in Christ, your value is higher than Israel in the Bible. And

every promise made to God's children is yours.

So the Bible says if you serve God, if you serve God, then every promise in

God's word, it doesn't matter whether the name there was fibo say or Jerusalem or Solomon, it doesn't matter the

promises and the covenant there took somebody's name, they are yours in Christ

Jesus. That's the inheritance. He says why? He said, you see the the dot explains the first statement. He said,

"For you serve the Lord Jesus Christ." So these are the benefits for them that

serve Jesus. But remember also that if you do what is wrong, you shall receive the

reward of wrong. Eternal

condemnation. We'll come to that again. Don't worry. We'll come to that again. Let's jump to my next

slide. Let us look at the rewards in serving God. Have you ever asked

yourself what are the rewards in serving God? Some of you find the opportunity

easily to serve God, but you turn it down because you think it's a waste of your time. It's a a real waste of your

precious time that you can make money and do things with in life. In fact,

some of you even rate your time when you use with somebody you love more precious than when you use it for God, for the

church. Hebrews 11:6, but without faith it is impossible

to please him for he he So let us try and ignore the first

statement and continue from here because the second statement is explaining why he made the first statement. He says,

"For he that comes to God must believe that he is

God and that he is a rewarder." That he's

what? So the identity of God is that he's a rewarder of them

that does he reward everybody that seeks him. So he's a rewarder of them that

diligently. He describes if you want to follow him and get rewards, you have to be diligent to duty. Listen, I was dead

tired after doing 12 hours journey back into Ara. Everybody counseledled me. Why

don't you sleep? You You'll be here around 3:00 a.m. 2 a.m. You'll be too tired. It's risky to travel at night. I

said, I'm a pastor. If God calls, God calls me at a time of my dead birth, I

must get up and go and finish the work and come and die. Are you understanding what I'm trying to say? If I serve God

and he's giving me my my my mortal body and life, breath of life, when I am tired, I must ask grace from

him. I traveled. I came. Everybody was afraid. I said, "Call us before you enter the house." I came. I entered. I

woke them up. I was I was tired. My my back was

hurting from sitting for hours. My my buts was in so much pain for sitting for so much hours. Me I didn't know Christ

said you can sit and feel sick. Elder, this is what you go through to

bring money to the church. Let's cry for elder. He's suffering.

Ghana far. I say America is far but Ghana far and road is

bad. Up down up down up

down. And to God bring you back safely. You know for sure a hand took

you. I'm serious. And I was busy preparing my

sermon. God was just busy teaching me every step of the way. and teaching me other things to teach in

the other days to come. Listen, he is a rewarder not of just everybody. This is

why many people follow God and don't get anything. Many Christians walking around and failing because until we diligently

follow God, there's no reward. It's a waste of our time. Simply going to church is not

enough. painstaking efforts to catch his attention to do his

will to follow him brings rewards. Let us try and look through

some of the roles God gives us. Number one, we have divine value. When they mention our name in

heaven, the angels know us. When they mention Mrs. Appleo, yes, that God's

daughter in Favor Chapel International. So when angel mention they mention your name in heaven that

God has a password. Angel asked, "Uh, please can you tell me who exactly I'm going to look

for?" Because that church, I've been going there for 3 years. I I've not seen

anybody by that name or by that description that the father has shown me. Some of

you said, "How can the father send this person for this unfaithful person? Are

you sure there's not a mistake?" Said, "You go." He said, "What shall happen if I go and he or she's not there? If you

go and she's not there, give it to somebody who is faithful." And the angel came faithfully knowing that

you because all other forces and powers hate any kind of service to God that

is or that is. Are you with me?

So we have divine value. God begins to value us. When God wanted to destroy

Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham's cousin who has

cheated Abraham several times who had problems with Abraham but so long as he was the blood of Abraham, God said no.

No harm can happen to Sodom and Gomorrah until Abraham knows about it and allows

it. Some of you nobody must just die in your house. You must see it before the eye. Some of you nobody no no no no no

blessing should go in your house without you knowing. The other day I was telling somebody nothing happens without me

finding out before it happens. It is not because I am special or has 24-hour eyes

that see everything. That is not how this kingdom works. It is in your diligence of

service that God gives you such blessings. Are you understanding what I'm trying to say?

When a man is diligent, he has divine value to God. He has importance. And

number two, he's elevated. Tell the person he's elevated. What it means is you are

lifted above what you even expect. Turn your Bible to the book of Luke

12:42-44. And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful?" He's not just a servant. And

he said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward or servant whom his lord shall make him

ruler?" He starts off as a servant. His reward is what?

Ruler over his household and to give them their portion of meat in due

season. They do not miss their rewards and do not miss their blessings.

Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so shall find

so doing of a truth I say unto you. He shall make him ruler over all that he

has. When you prove yourself faithful and dependable, God sees you as a wise

steward. That means you are prudent. You are understanding what you are about and using what you are about for the best

results possible. He said, "That is the person that I will

reward. That is the person that I will make greater, greater than one who serves

me." The covenant of healing. The next reward God gives those that serve him is

the covenant of healing and health. Two things. It is not just healing anytime

you are sick but he gives us health. Tell somebody health. So if you are

struggling with your health, one of the things you must do is find something very important to do with all your time

with God. Not all your time but most of your time for God. What I mean is that find something God can be dependable on

you for. Huh? If you want to live a healthy life, do something with your time for

God, with your strength for God, with your days for God.

Numbers 23:25-26 says, "And you shall serve the Lord your

God, and he shall bless thy bread and thy water, and I," this is God speaking,

said, "I will take sicknesses away from the midst of

thee." Good health does not come to every child of God. It comes to those who serve him.

The ability to stay healthy your lifetime comes from serving

God. If you serve, listen, if you serve God, you guarantee your children good

health. Hello. If you serve God, you guarantee

your children's children good health. Numbers 23:22:30 says, sorry, Psalm 22:30 says,

"A seed shall serve him, and it shall be counted to the Lord for a

generation." When one man serves God, he will remember a hundred years of

his generation for what he has done by serving him.

The third reward for serving God is a long life and a secured future for your

children. Look, if you serve God today, it does not matter. You will have children. There shall be none of you

barren. You want you want your womb to produce the train of destiny. Serve God.

You want your generation to be blessed irrespective of the circumstances and the economic situations as well. Serve

God. Exodus 23:25 into the verse 26. My emphasis on the 26. Remember the 25

says, "And you shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, thy water, and I'll take away sickness from

the midst of thee." So far as there is sickness in the midst of you and your

family, he will take it out. Let's read the 26. Very important. There shall be

nothing casting their young nor be

barren. Do you know? Do you know that certain times certain

witchcraft witches can decide that in every family one person must not

continue their bloodline? Oh, as a pastor I've seen I've seen several families like that. I

want to pray for a certain family and they've tried everything and their old age now the woman has even crossed motor

and stuff and at that time they they were so fixated on on I'll mention a

certain church let's just say that I won't mention the name of that church so they love the word of God and and they

listen to God's word so when they invited me home and he was a Muslim now he has changed to become a Christian and

and we're teaching and and telling them about this Jesus Christ and everything and as I I began to teach him and talk

to him. I said immedely I saw when I laid hands to pray I saw and the teacher was made several years before him and

they determined said as for him he must not have children and he must die

without a generation succeeding. Now listen listen very very

carefully. This is this is authorities that I can only break when the person is in my church. Remember

this, there is there is something known as the rules of engagement. The mere fact that we are pastors doesn't mean we

save everybody at the same time. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Jesus said you will cast out the

devil. You cast out that devil. It will go and roam. It will come back and find out the house is clean. It will bring 10

times more what it was and bring it in. It's the same with healing. I've

gone to pray for people. They've received great miracles, but they did not even come to church. They went

elsewhere. 7 years later, 5 years later, something else happens. They expect you to come again and do that. They think

that the gift of God is for hire, once they have money, they should pay you to come and pray for them and go. That's

not how the kingdom works. Are you understanding me? If your own fathers, your own mother has

done this to you, the only way I have authority to break what they have said is when spiritually you are my

responsibility. Are you understanding

me? That's not how it works. The people that Jesus healed, they had

come to accept Jesus and they brought their sick to him and they became followers of Jesus. Even to some that he

healed, he even stopped them from following him. Said, "I want to said no, don't don't follow me. Go and show yourself to the people. Go to your

people." Yet the same person came back to Jesus and every time they had the opportunity to hear Jesus preach, they

were there to listen. You pray for some people when they finish, they are attending some

church for thanksgiving. giving the praise of God to some

ministry somewhere. Why? You are a smaller pastor. You see why they don't they

didn't qualify for the miracle in the first place. In their head, they are judging you by human standards, not by the

divine grace of God that that has spoken for you.

And so after they get healed for a while, they under that same pastor. They are praising yet the problem comes again

after many years and they die in it. In my field and

work, if you come and invite me because you think you have money, I'll watch you

die. Not because I'm wicked, but because I will not go against the will of God.

You see, every time they came to tell you, let's go and pray for somebody because of some rich man. Jesus asked why. There had to be a reason

why. Are you understanding me? And they told Jesus that because

this man loves our nation and because he has built a worshiing

place, the people he had done it for went to beg to compel Jesus to go.

And when Jesus met that person, he knew that man had great faith. And so when it comes to these

things, you must come to understand that some of the things you are facing

today were determined when you were born. Some of the setbacks you're

facing, some of the pain and shame you're going through. Our parents didn't know God.

They didn't know Jesus as we know her him today. They were told that is the only way.

They were compelled to do certain things. They did not even understand the future of it. Their mouths was kept shut

not to tell you the truth because it will ruin the relationship they have with you and encourage bitterness. The

devil swed a seed so he would have access to harass and fight you.

One of the easiest way to break these yolkes of darkness is to come under Christ and

serve him. Do you know why the Bible says no

man can rise up and go and harm, instruct or discipline another man's

servant. Do you know that? Classic example. Elder has his own house, has his own wife, has his own

children. He's a big man. He cannot come and exercise his big mansome here over my workers, can he? Nobody say he's not

a big man. But he dare not come to my house and tell my servants what to do. When you become God's servant,

because God is greater than principalities and powers. They stay away from the assumptions and covenants

they think they have access to you. So the Bible says if you serve God there

shall be none there to cast their young to. The word cast your young is disappointments. It talks about you

being pregnant and you couldn't deliver your child and your child died premature. Are you with

me? It talks about dreams unfulfilled, missions unaccomplished. It

talks about failure. Serving God insulates us from

these things. It keeps these things at bay from us and

it protects our generations

generation. Some time ago I was praying for one of my children I won't mention

and the spirit of God showed me that that was done by a distant relative. Sometimes

when you leave your children with people this is the reason why I'm not comfortable leaving my children with people. It's not because I don't trust

anybody because what they understand, what I understand are two different things. What they think is okay isn't

okay to me. And I know our foundations before today as a people. I'm not ignorant of

the devices of darkness. And I spoke over my child as I

reverse this back onto you and your generation for even dreaming it on my child.

And the truth is that my word will hold stronger than your word. It's too you must listen. You must understand this.

Once I keep serving God and I'm insured in Christ Jesus, my word will have value

than the charms and procrastinations declarations of someone who is in darkness. You must know

this. That is why if you allow a wish to beat you, I should be

surprised. The battle was never fair for that witch or wizard. Are you getting

where I'm coming from? God intentionally took out every power and last chance and

last authority from them and made you the final. So say for any mouth that

shall accuse you, you shall condemn and every weapon that is fashioned against you shall not prosper.

You must understand that God has gone a step further to make sure that your

enemy's words cannot affect your life. Says, "Speak a word against me and it shall not stand." Declare your charms

against you shall not come to pass. Many of you have prayed with you this prayer in prayer time. And I've

taught you to declare and say that your body, your spirit, your soul only responds to the word of God, not the

words of charms, not the words of evil spirits. Oh, as we say these things,

people will still come within and out. They will come and tempt it. It is the beauty of power. Some must tempt it and

get roasted. Some must tempt it so that you know for sure where you are lacking in your understanding and beef yourself

up. It is natural. But in the end, you will reign in every situation

possible. Number four. Number

four, pardon and forgiveness. You know why it's called

pardon? You are guilty. Not as if you're not guilty, but we are not going to punish you.

It's like when the courts sentences you to life imprisonment and the president comes and

say well yes you're supposed to serve 100 years in prison but I want you to go home today it's called pardon of his

pardon nobody said you are not guilty the thing there you have done it even you accept that you are guilty but you

are refused to serve the sentence of it in the book of Malachi the chapter 3

17 to 18 God says says that they shall be mine. Those who serve me, they shall

be mine. So in that day when I make up my jewels, I will spare them as a man

spirit his own son that serves him. How many of you have more than one

children? One child, but the child that serves you who loves you the most or who's willing to do everything for you

the most. You don't know. Some of you, you have sisters. You notice that your

mother loves one of them more than you. Don't understand why. pay

attention. They found a way to bond with your family, mother or father better.

The minute your father calls, you go, "Oh, daddy." But when they call you, you say, "Uh,

daddy, you don't understand. You think you're being plain and truthful. You think you're being honest, but the mere

fact that that person is willing to break their protocol for that parent. The parent feels a connection with that

that child that exonerates the child from many guilt. Some of you grew up hating some of your sisters, thinking

your mother loved them more than you. No, they were available. They served a

good purpose to your parent better. So God copies that same notion and tells us

he's communicating to us. He wants us to understand what he wants to do. So he says as a man will spare not just his

son. You know we spare our children but he said spare the son that serves

him so will I spare those that serve me. Spare them from what? Guilt. Spare

them from condemnation. Spare them from paying the price for their sins. 18 so

that you will know the difference between a righteous person and a wicked person between him that serves God and

him that does not serve God. That's why he's doing

that. Let me give you a classic example. If your father is the judge h and his word is final and they

bring you before him, do you think he will sentence you? I'm not talking about God. I'm talking about father.

Your father will sentence you especially when he knows you a good child he loves. You know your father loves you. There's no doubt you know your father loves you.

Will your father sentence you? At one time I had an issue. I knew

my father my own father was a justice man and I knew that my father was going to condemn me. I did not know my own

father would fight for me in the midst of others. When they were trying to accuse

me for him, he got angry and gave it to them. Insulted them. The way my father behaved. I've never seen my father like

that before because for even listen for even going to the toilet and not flushing my father would raise up his

mouth and beat the hell out of you. He was a disciplinary. He didn't like nonsense. So when you get a case

outside, you don't want anybody to hear. You solve your problem outside because you don't want to come home. Coming home is like being roasted for the whole

year. You don't like it. Then one person decided that well that is where to hurt you mo most. So

I'll go home and tell your father. When they told my father I couldn't go home that day, he

called me and said, "Where are you?" I said, "Come home." Came pick me up and said, "Let's go home." My father never mentioned it one bit that anybody had

come and seen it. I looked at my father. I sat in the car. I was hoping for him to scold me. This is a human being I

know. And God, this is why I'm telling that when God says some things, I'm able to understand because I experienced

them.

Some of you they tell you these things in churches and you get up once you haven't gone to God again once every day

you are guilty yes after you have asked that you

have a God who answers prayer. He says after you have been faithful to what to

pray for for your forgiveness, you must find him ever faithful to forgive you your sins. You don't come back and

confess that same sin again in the first place. And if you are doubting, how does that become faith

that brings you reward? Am I making sense to

somebody? I was going to say something my father normally says. I'm not going to say it. It might offend others. I don't want

trouble. Say God is not like so and so and so, but I won't mention it. Amen. So, there is no

reward in not serving God. Well, tell your brother and sister. Tell

the person next to you.

So serving God any hug has no rewards. Don't fool yourself. Don't tell yourself I'm doing your best is not what God is

looking for. He's looking for his standard and his standard requires diligence. It requires how Jesus served

you on earth. If you want to serve God, please go a step further to make

yourself uncomfortable to meet that standard.

In fact, those who serve God anyhow, they are cursed. They bring curses upon

themselves. That's why you come to church. I was in Ara and I met some of our members there and I was asking them

why they were not coming to church when they were in school sometime. I said, "Pastor, we're feeling guilty. Every

time we come, you give us money for transport in and out." I said, "Could you have paid your own transport?" "Hey,

no, pastor, I was f I'm paying. So, what is your problem? Even when I'm paying sometimes you are

not coming. What is your excuse? I want to know. What has been your excuse? If you

come I pay just come and listen to there's a problem. You stay in your

host. Who came to church here didn't have offering and we said why did you come to church without offering to come and enjoy our fun and those things? Who

has ever been asked that question here? That's not our headache. You

come. I'm sure everybody here cares about you coming. They don't care whether you have money or you gave money. Oh, I'm lying, brother. Do you

care about people who who have money to come to church? We don't care whether you have the billions or the thousands.

We don't care.

40

days. You a member, you can come and tell me that you just made money 1 billion. There's not going to be any

miracle service to take your money. We don't care. Keep your money. We have work to do in the kingdom. If you are ready to give it,

give it. Are you understanding what I'm trying to say?

[Music] Because Jeremiah

48:10A curses be he that does the work of God

deceitfully. The what? Without sincerity, without

truth, without a clean heart, without a willing heart. without a happy

heart. Please go back to Hebrews 11:6. The B very important to me. I'm

affirming what I just said about being cursed if you do not if you do

not serve God with a clean heart. For he

that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that

diligently seek him. The only way that serving God

brings a result is to diligently pursue him. I beg you ladies and gentlemen, the

Holy Spirit kept on telling me, tell them this. You should never at any time

forget that in your head. It's not

about is about the painstaking efforts you are willing to go through every day

to make sure the work goes on.

Finally, as I bring my sermon to an end, please change it. As I bring the sermon to an end, notice that opportunity to

serve God is limited to our lifetime. H Ecclesiastes 9:10 say, "Whatsoever thy

hand finds to do, do it with thy might. For there is no work nor device, nor

knowledge or wisdom in the grave where every man will go." We are all going to die one day. That's what the Bible says.

And in the grave, nobody can do.

Bible say is appointed on the man once to die and after death judgment. So the minute you die, you're

going for judgment. So why are you missing the chance to score the points that when you enter into judgment, you

might be cleared? Why are you missing that chance? John 9:4, I must work the works of him

that sent me. Jesus says, while it is day, the night will come when no man can

work. Even God who walked as man on earth understood the limitations of time

bound service to God. He said, "While there is money, whilst there strength, while there is today, I must do my

portion today wholeheartedly with all my heart." and not wait for

tomorrow. Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 says, "Remember now, now not tomorrow.

Remember now thy creator in the days of your youth, in

your beginnings, while the evil day comes not, nor the years draw nigh, when

thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." While the sun or the light or the

moon or the stars be not darken, nor the clouds return after the

rain. Some people the only time they want to serve God is after trouble has come and trouble has ended another

trouble is coming. Some people only serve God when evil days are happening. The Bible says look for God

now from today. Look for God. Don't wait for the bad day to come and say n I'm

serious. I want to serve God. I don't know. I am praying the Holy

Spirit to knit something together in your head because I've been teaching around something and I don't want to openly say it because

listen, you can be a prostitute. Go and serve God. You can be a liar. Go and

serve God. I have to say it plain. You can be a criminal, go and serve God. As you serve God and as the word of God

comes, ask God to transform you. I'm begging you.

You see the minute you come under service to

God with your whole heart you'll be willing to let go of that evil part you listen I don't know the minute you come

under God's grace to serve

him Jesus said no man can serve two masters if sin was your master that

controls you the day you decide to serve Jesus That hunger and test for wrong will

die. It will not rule you as you used to be ruled without

control. Whatever your situation is, don't miss the opportunity. Some of you enter a ministry and there's opportunity

to serve but you give excuse and run.

It will never happen because even pastors sin I'm sorry to say this I know the people in

my church sometime they hate it when I say

that say these are the works of the flesh. The Bible say these are the works of people filled with evil spirit. Huh?

In Galatians say these are the works of what are they? Are they not brother sister? Am I not

flesh?

Hallelujah.

[Music]

for heyment.

Hallelujah. He is the solution to sin. I am not the solution to sin. Your brother

is not Jesus. Until you you've come to him, there's no way he's going to save you. Are you with me, church?

And so we as a church are encouraging you. Come and serve God. Serve him when

you are in school. Serve him when you are home. Whatever you want to do for God, push it. Some of you, what you can

do is make sure that sniffness of your of the sermon. Some of you, you can download the sermon or the audio version

said, "Pastor, make sure it's on our platform and share it with people." You can do something. You can always be

willing to do something. I want to make sure 100 people hear the gospel I've heard on a Sunday. 100 people hear the

slides. Can you prepare the slides into quotes that 100 people I can share every week? You can do it. We don't need to be

a thousand people. Even 10 people decide that constantly they would do this. You will fill your church with one

year. You hear the word, you eat the word, you swallow it alone, you grow fat, you are sitting down

still. The word is not going out there. Tell somebody to do something for

God. My last line, do something for God. Do a service unto the Lord. Bow

your head and let us

pray. For this cause was the Holy Spirit given that we shall become

witnesses of God to the nations and all of Jerusalem

that we will serve God in his church and outside his church. That we will bring the gospel to

the generations and deliver God's power unto others.

Father, I pray for as many as are here, as many as are listening to me, and as

many as are hear me in the future. Let the grace of the

Almighty filled and fueled by the power of the Holy

Spirit enable us to identify the

opportunity, the grace and the strength to serve God all our days in Jesus name.

Amen. Please take out an offering unto

God. If you are not a member of Favor Chapel International, I want to encourage you to become a

member. This is a good church. Don't be fooled