REV CHRIS OYAKHILOME DSC DSc DD.
There are different kinds of meetings
Thanksgiving meeting is a meeting in which you set your heart to thank and to praise the Lord.
You are in the meeting to give God something; to give him praise: to thank him.
You take your mind through different things that He has done for you.: the opportunities he has given, the opprtunites of service: ircumstances that He orchestrated for your life.
You purposely drive your mind through your life to pick on those things God has done for you that you may express your gratitude.
At that point, it's just you and the Lord.
Even the friends he has given you: those that the Lord has permitted or even sent into your world, into your life.
Do you know that sometimes we even owe someone our life. (Many don't understand that)
Sometimes we think it's just God only.
But God sends people into your life. You won't be where you are, but for the men and women that God sent into your life.
Some of you would even be dead, except for someone God sent to preserve your life.
Philemon 1:10- 21 NIV, KJV
Paul is writing in this letter to Philemon who was historically, a wealthy Christian man.
Onesimus was once his servant/slave.
At a certain time, He escaped from Philemon and encountered the ministry of Paul after he got born again, serving Paul for a while, until this letter.
Paul writes to Philemon after this.
Philemon was Paul's partner. (Vs17)
Was Paul going too far when he said Philemon owed him his very life/self? (Vs19)
V19-22
Through the ministry of Paul, something happened that preserved Philemons life.
Paul expected some benefit from Philemon.
There are some people that you save their life but it has no benefit.
You don't ask someone who is poor to prepare a guest room for you. Lol.
(There are some scriptures, you need to read slowly).
Philemon was wealthy. You would have some level of financial power or authority in the land for you to own slaves.
In a service like this, you forget about a need of some kind. Don't allow that appear in your heart . You are here to honor and thank Him
Think through your life what He's done for you. He has preserved you for a reason. Drive your mind, make yourself think of what to thank Him for.
When God asked the children of Israel to build him a Sanctuary, it was not a place of congregational meetings. The purpose of the Sanctuary was for the offerings. They'd bring the offerings into the sanctuary. Then, the ministry of the priests to offer gifts and sacrifices in the sanctuary.
The people came and only stayed outside and around the sanctuary.
He asked for the sanctuary to receive gifts and sacrifices and minister back Grace.
Then later on, He asked Solomon to build him a Temple. The Temple was to be built for the sanctuary. To house the Sanctuary and the ministry of the sanctuary.
That's how important the service of God was.
The church of Jesus Christ mostly, know very little about the worship of God. They are more influenced by idolatry. They don't know it, because most have never been taught. Most of the worship in the churches is based on Idolatry.
The Covenants of God were not given to the gentiles. The service of God was not revealed to the gentiles. So what they did was to convert what they were doing in idolatry, instead of addressing to the gods of Hell and Idols that they were serving, they now addressed it to God but maintained their mode of operation. Whereas they danced to Satan and those gods, they now danced to God. They just switched who they were addressing but continued in the same mode and structures.
For example, God told the Isralites, when they build altar, they should not build high platforms...
But gentiles built high places to offer sacrifices to their gods.
When Israel took over their lands they found many high places which were set up by previous inhabitants for the worship of their demon gods.
Israel corrupted themselves and used those high places.
Even in the days of Solomon, the high places were still there.
What happened was, several of these kings offered Sacrifices in those high places to the Almighty God. (Including Solomon). Though He warned them not to do it.
They had them everywhere and it seemed to make sense so they did it anyway. But from God's standpoint, he said they corrupted themselves.
When I was pastoring years ago at the LCC. I was doing Friday all-night prayer service because almost every church has Friday all-night services. Those churches were doing all night deliverance services.
This frustrated me because I was doing something without a purpose.
Until I asked the Lord and he said "I didn't ask you to do it". Then I was given a clear direction of what I should do. So I abandoned the every Friday all night.
How we worship matters. The Church of Christ must do what it's called to do.
A Thanksgiving service when you pour your heart out to the Lord in thanksgiving, you also prepare him an offering; your thanksgiving offering.
Many times, it's a seed.
Actually, every giving turns out to be a seed, for one reason.
*Every giving to God is rewarded*
Someone once asked me, "Is every giving a seed?" yes and no.
No because you may not call it a seed.
But God, from his side, irrespective of the purpose for your giving, he matches it with an abundant blessing.
In your heart today, even if you didn't prepare an offering, you can always ask him, what can I give for this thanksgiving. You may not have thought about it, but you can always ask him. The Holy Spirit will always tell you what to do. That's how you do it.
Thanksgiving segments;
Our victories, growth, the spread of the word, the proliferation of the church. For the undefeatable triumphant church.
Psalm 89:1-18 (KJV)
Thank the Lord for causing the Church to triumph over deception and persecution. Thank God for the expansion of his work on earth. For the increased knowledge and understanding of his word, affirming that the word will continue to grow Mightily and prevail across all nations and continents of the world.
Thanksgiving for the ongoing fulfilment of the mandate to complete the preaching of the gospel to all nations. Psalm 48:1-14 NIV
Individual Thanksgivings
Psalm 33:4-22
Thank the Lord profusely for his abundant grace, mercy and blessings you enjoyed all through the outgoing ministry year. Thank him for spiritual growth, safety, protection, salvation of family members, new heights attained, personal success, achievement, new businesses and every blessing received this year.
Affirm that his goodness and mercy continue to abound in our lives all through this new ministry year.
Be wise about your offering, it's your advantage over the world
Never skip it.
Don't play games with God, He is smarter than you.
Be wise towards God.
There are different kinds of meetings
Thanksgiving meeting is a meeting in which you set your heart to thank and to praise the Lord.
You are in the meeting to give God something; to give him praise: to thank him.
You take your mind through different things that He has done for you.: the opportunities he has given, the opprtunites of service: ircumstances that He orchestrated for your life.
You purposely drive your mind through your life to pick on those things God has done for you that you may express your gratitude.
At that point, it's just you and the Lord.
Even the friends he has given you: those that the Lord has permitted or even sent into your world, into your life.
Do you know that sometimes we even owe someone our life. (Many don't understand that)
Sometimes we think it's just God only.
But God sends people into your life. You won't be where you are, but for the men and women that God sent into your life.
Some of you would even be dead, except for someone God sent to preserve your life.
Philemon 1:10- 21 NIV, KJV
Paul is writing in this letter to Philemon who was historically, a wealthy Christian man.
Onesimus was once his servant/slave.
At a certain time, He escaped from Philemon and encountered the ministry of Paul after he got born again, serving Paul for a while, until this letter.
Paul writes to Philemon after this.
Philemon was Paul's partner. (Vs17)
Was Paul going too far when he said Philemon owed him his very life/self? (Vs19)
V19-22
Through the ministry of Paul, something happened that preserved Philemons life.
Paul expected some benefit from Philemon.
There are some people that you save their life but it has no benefit.
You don't ask someone who is poor to prepare a guest room for you. Lol.
(There are some scriptures, you need to read slowly).
Philemon was wealthy. You would have some level of financial power or authority in the land for you to own slaves.
In a service like this, you forget about a need of some kind. Don't allow that appear in your heart . You are here to honor and thank Him
Think through your life what He's done for you. He has preserved you for a reason. Drive your mind, make yourself think of what to thank Him for.
When God asked the children of Israel to build him a Sanctuary, it was not a place of congregational meetings. The purpose of the Sanctuary was for the offerings. They'd bring the offerings into the sanctuary. Then, the ministry of the priests to offer gifts and sacrifices in the sanctuary.
The people came and only stayed outside and around the sanctuary.
He asked for the sanctuary to receive gifts and sacrifices and minister back Grace.
Then later on, He asked Solomon to build him a Temple. The Temple was to be built for the sanctuary. To house the Sanctuary and the ministry of the sanctuary.
That's how important the service of God was.
The church of Jesus Christ mostly, know very little about the worship of God. They are more influenced by idolatry. They don't know it, because most have never been taught. Most of the worship in the churches is based on Idolatry.
The Covenants of God were not given to the gentiles. The service of God was not revealed to the gentiles. So what they did was to convert what they were doing in idolatry, instead of addressing to the gods of Hell and Idols that they were serving, they now addressed it to God but maintained their mode of operation. Whereas they danced to Satan and those gods, they now danced to God. They just switched who they were addressing but continued in the same mode and structures.
For example, God told the Isralites, when they build altar, they should not build high platforms...
But gentiles built high places to offer sacrifices to their gods.
When Israel took over their lands they found many high places which were set up by previous inhabitants for the worship of their demon gods.
Israel corrupted themselves and used those high places.
Even in the days of Solomon, the high places were still there.
What happened was, several of these kings offered Sacrifices in those high places to the Almighty God. (Including Solomon). Though He warned them not to do it.
They had them everywhere and it seemed to make sense so they did it anyway. But from God's standpoint, he said they corrupted themselves.
When I was pastoring years ago at the LCC. I was doing Friday all-night prayer service because almost every church has Friday all-night services. Those churches were doing all night deliverance services.
This frustrated me because I was doing something without a purpose.
Until I asked the Lord and he said "I didn't ask you to do it". Then I was given a clear direction of what I should do. So I abandoned the every Friday all night.
How we worship matters. The Church of Christ must do what it's called to do.
A Thanksgiving service when you pour your heart out to the Lord in thanksgiving, you also prepare him an offering; your thanksgiving offering.
Many times, it's a seed.
Actually, every giving turns out to be a seed, for one reason.
*Every giving to God is rewarded*
Someone once asked me, "Is every giving a seed?" yes and no.
No because you may not call it a seed.
But God, from his side, irrespective of the purpose for your giving, he matches it with an abundant blessing.
In your heart today, even if you didn't prepare an offering, you can always ask him, what can I give for this thanksgiving. You may not have thought about it, but you can always ask him. The Holy Spirit will always tell you what to do. That's how you do it.
Thanksgiving segments;
Our victories, growth, the spread of the word, the proliferation of the church. For the undefeatable triumphant church.
Psalm 89:1-18 (KJV)
Thank the Lord for causing the Church to triumph over deception and persecution. Thank God for the expansion of his work on earth. For the increased knowledge and understanding of his word, affirming that the word will continue to grow Mightily and prevail across all nations and continents of the world.
Thanksgiving for the ongoing fulfilment of the mandate to complete the preaching of the gospel to all nations. Psalm 48:1-14 NIV
Individual Thanksgivings
Psalm 33:4-22
Thank the Lord profusely for his abundant grace, mercy and blessings you enjoyed all through the outgoing ministry year. Thank him for spiritual growth, safety, protection, salvation of family members, new heights attained, personal success, achievement, new businesses and every blessing received this year.
Affirm that his goodness and mercy continue to abound in our lives all through this new ministry year.
Be wise about your offering, it's your advantage over the world
Never skip it.
Don't play games with God, He is smarter than you.
Be wise towards God.