Theology

 *01/01/2025* *2025 NEW YEAR SERVICE* TOPIC: *RELIGIOSITY VERSUS GODLINESS* *"Religion shows the way to God, but Godliness takes you to the God of the way"* Pastor John Ifesanya  Text: Deuteronomy 30:6 Jeremiah 24:7; 31:31-34 Religion is the belief in the existence of God and activities that are connected with the worship of God. Godliness is to be like God or a god in some quality; it can also be defined as living a moral life based on religious principles. Religion brought the knowledge of the law of sin and death, whereas Godliness is receiving the grace in fulfillment of the law of Moses. This homily follows up from the previous homily titled, *"How many churches are enough"*. The growth and expansion of the Church without corresponding positive spiritual and moral effect on the society, has caused many to question the authenticity of the gospel. Why would the most religious state still be ranked among the most corrupt? What an irony. But the real irony is how p...

 *29/12/2024* *ANOINTING HEALING AND COMMUNION SERVICE* TOPIC: *DON'T GIVE UP!!!* *"The shortest way is not the surest way, but the surest way is the shortest"* Pastor John Ifesanya  Text: Matthew 15:21-28 Mark 7:24-30 Our dreams are the most precious things to us. When a man loses his dream, he lost all. When dreams are lost, the victim is miserable, the society suffer and God is dissatisfied. Visions and goals should be pursued tirelessly, tenaciously and passionately. Push until something happens. *Why should I not give up?* To give up is an act of cowardice and unbelief. When we give up on our dreams, we tell God, He is a liar and His Word is not true. Remember Lot's wife Genesis 19:12-26 God is more interested in fulfilling His counsel on earth through our dreams than we can imagine. Ephesians 3:20 God wants to use you to meet a particular need in the world. Troubles are tests of our faith in God. Matthew 15:24,26 *What should I do?* 1. Have *faith* in God, God...

 *25/12/2024* *2024 CHRISTMAS SERVICE* THEME: *A KING IS BORN* Text: Isaiah 7:10-16; 9:6-7 Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-23 Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-52 Two thousand years ago, a man appeared on the scene of history. He was born into the world and grew up into manhood just like every other person, but this man was different to anyone else. He was no ordinary man. *A virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit to bring Him to birth. He was God Himself, coming to the earth in human form. He was the "Son of God"* Luke 1:26-35 *"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth".* John 1:1,14 *The Prophecies of Jesus' Birth* 1. The Messiah would be the seed of a woman  *Old Testament Prediction* Genesis 3:15 *New Testament Fulfillment* Galatians 4:4 2. The Messiah would be a descendant of Abra...

 *22/12/2024* *FOURTH SUNDAY SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PUBLIC PRAYER  Pray for Interpretation of "prayers in tongues" in church meeting  1 Corinthians 14:13-16 Given the stress on intelligibility, Paul insists that someone who has the gift of tongues must pray that he may interpret what he says. There are two reasons for this. *One* is personal. Tongues benefit only the speaker's spirit, but not the mind, even when used in prayer. Paul thinks it is important to benefit both parts, and so he is happy to pray and praise God with both his spirit and his mind - that is, in an intelligible way as well as in a tongue. *Second*, because he is dealing with public worship, Paul's paramount concern is for those who do not understand, and particularly for intended outsiders, that is, those who are not yet believers but who are interested in what Christians do when they worship. Everyone should be able to say 'Amen', thus indicating the...

 *18/12/2024* *MID WEEK SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PUBLIC PRAYER  May not be understood by others if prayer is in "tongues" 1 Corinthians 14:13-16 He who occupies the place of uninformed refers to anyone who does not understand the message spoken in tongues. Saying amen was common in Jewish and early church worship when the congregation wanted to indicate its agreement with what was being said. Deuteronomy 27:14-26 Revelation 5:14 Such a response would be impossible in the case of an uninterpreted tongue, because no one would have understood the prayer. *©2024* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *15/12/2024* *THIRD SUNDAY SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PUBLIC PRAYER  Agreement in prayer  Matthew 18:19-20 The reference to binding and loosing in Acts 18:18 suggests that the community has the authority sanctioned by the heavenly court, to pronounce on what is right and what is wrong, on what is sin and what is not sin. Such authority is not to be taken lightly. It was conferred by the Lord Jesus on Peter according to Matthew 16:19, but is now extended to include the whole messianic community. This community is to be one that engages in prayer and enjoy the fellowship of the Lord Himself. Matthew 18:19. *©2024* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *11/12/2024* *MID WEEK SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PRIVATE PRAYER  New Testament Examples IV *Cornelius* Acts 10:30 Peter introduced himself to the group, beginning with an explanation of why he was prepared to break the Jewish custom and visit the home of a Gentile. He pointed out that God had shown him that he should not call any man impure or unclean. Acts 10:27-28 Peter who had been exclusive was now inclusive - he would accept people as people according to Acts 10:29. Cornelius told Peter about his vision four days earlier and expressed his gratitude for Peter's willingness to come. Acts 10:30-33a *©2024* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *08/12/2024* *SECOND SUNDAY SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PRIVATE PRAYER  New Testament Examples III *Paul* Acts 9:11 Ananias was instructed to go to a man from Tarsus named Saul. Ananias was familiar with the city of Damascus and must have known Judas and the location of his house on Straight Street. There may have been several people staying in the house, since there is a need for Saul to be identified by his place of origin; Tarsus. The Lord reassured Ananias that Paul had been praying and would be expecting him because he too had seen a vision. *©2024* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *04/12/2024* *MID WEEK SERVICE* TOPIC: *PRAYER* Text: Genesis 4:26 Philippians 4:6-7 PRIVATE PRAYER  New Testament Examples II *Peter* Acts 9:40 Peter sent everyone out of the room according to Matthew 9:25, and then knelt down and prayed. We are not told the content of the prayer, but he must have asked Jesus to restore life to the dead woman. He seems to have been facing away from the body, for after praying he turned and spoke directly to her - calling her by name and commanding her to get up. This was an act of faith on Peter's part, and he must have been delighted to see her open her eyes and sit up. *©2024* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*