TEXT: ROMANS 1:20, MARK 2:18-22

MINISTER: PASTOR OLUMIDE OGUNJIYIGBE

The God of the bible is a God of newness. In this time and season of Fall, the lord is preparing His church for spiritual renewal, one in which everything in our lives that is not of God shall fall off to make way for the newness of God. From our text, Jesus used an example of wine and wineskins to illustrate that we cannot combine our old fleshy ways with the new ways of God. The purpose of God for our lives is that we would be transformed into new wineskins, filled with new wine. Wineskins are made from the skin of dead animals. By analogy, the lord wants us to be dead to ourselves and filled with a new wine (a fresh out pour of the Holy spirit). This fresh out pour is essential for:

1. A new consecration to live a holy life: The active work of the holy spirit makes it possible for us to live for God.

2. A new and rich character: This refers to something rich and genuine. Something real within-Proverbs 27:19

Your true character is what you are when you are under pressure. It is who you are when no one is watching. It also refers to what you do with the responsibilities that God has given you.

3. The provision of power: Acts 1:8

4. For passion: What are you passionate about?

HINDERANCES FROM RECEIVING A NEW WINE

1. Old wine skin: Used up and worn out. To receive a new wine, we have to get rid of the old wine skin

2. Not daily spending time in His presence

3. Lack of desire for a new wine. Jesus said only those who thirst after righteousness shall be filled.

4. Pride: This prevents us from seeing that we need God in our lives. It is a feeling of self-sufficiency.

THE NATURE OF OLD WINE SKINS

a. Hard and callous

b. Easily cracked

c. Explodes under pressure

d. Dry and brittle

REASONS WHY WE BECOME OLD WINE SKINS

1. Sin: Hebrews 3:8

2. Selfishness: Job 42:10

3. Bitterness: Don't let the bitterness of your life turn you into a bitter person. Let the bitterness of your life turn you into a better person.

4. Wrong thinking: Change begins with the renewing of our mind.

5. Unforgiveness: Living in unforgiveness undermines the influence of God upon our lives

6. Non or inconsistent devotional life.

"The best revelation you can ever have is the one you receive yourself"-Pastor Ogunjiyigbe

THE NATURE OF NEW WINE SKINS

a. They are elastic and pliable.

b. They are easily molded and shaped.

c. They are receptive to a new wine.

HOW TO BECOME A NEW WINE SKIN

1. New birth-II Corinthians 5:17

2. Constant renewal and re-dedication of our lives in the place of prayer and constant meditation on the word. This comes through bathing in the presence of God.

NOTE: Old wine skins become new through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

HOW TO CHANGE FROM AN OLD WINE SKIN TO A NEW WINE SKIN

1. Repentance: Until you own up to where you are with God, you will never have any changes in your life. Psalm 51:10, Acts 3:19.

2. Through the filling of the Holy Spirit: Acts 10:44, Acts 19:6

3. Through the word of God: Ephesians 5:22-26

4. Learn to wait upon the lord: Isaiah 40:31

5. Learn to be a good worshipper and worship God in spirit and in truth. Worship creates and changes the atmosphere.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Why is it necessary for us to constantly renew ourselves spiritually?

TEXT: LUKE 12:16-34

REFERENCES: I CORINTHIANS 15: 51, LUKE 19:2,8, I CHRONICLES 1: 7-12

MINISTER: PASTOR GHANDI OLAOYE

As Christians, we must understand that what God wants to give us is not basically material but spiritual. It is God's first and utmost desire to give us the KINGDOM. Our God is able to provide daily material needs for us. But these material needs should be secondary to us. They should not be the focus of our lives or  journey as Christians. The most important thing which the lord wants to release to us is His KINGDOM. Hence, the reason Jesus said, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."-Matthew 6:33.

Moreso, we must understand that God wants to first have a great relationship with us, before adding material needs and other desires which may have. This is because a great relationship with Him is essential for inheriting the Kingdom, and God wants us to have this Kingdom mentality in all we do. A Kingdom mentality leads to a Kingdom lifestyle which will ultimately lead to inheritance of the Kingdom. We must contstantly understand that though we are in the world, we are not of the world. Hence, while we are living in a secular world, we must live by the standards of a heavenly world-the Kingdom of our God. Also, when we let go off our focus as believers-the kingdom-and begin to seek material things, we become lost and separate from God. But if we seek God first, He will abundantly provide the material needs we crave for. This however, does not mean that we should strive to live for God only because we want Him to bless us with a new car or a new house. We must never forget that God searches the heart. So, if you try to use Him to get your wishlist, you might end up being disappointed, depressed and dejected. So serve God for who He is and not for what you can get from Him.

In addition, God wants us to first have the Kingdom(heavenly) life because it is more important than earthly possessions. In the book of Luke 12:16-32, Jesus shared two basic views with us: The SECULAR and the SPIRITUAL (KINGDOM/ HEAVENLY) view. He then goes on to emphasize that we need to chase after God with all we have and let go off the secular way of life. This is because the love of power, wealth, fame and fortune; fast money, fast cars and all hedonistic life style leads us far away from God. Also, in a bid to become materially comfortable, many despise the lord and compromise their faith; a decision which leads to destruction in the end. For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his soul? Nothing, absolutely nothing!

NOTE: Earthly possessions will fade away, but the kingdom of God is forever. So why not seek that which is eternal, than chasing after that which is ephemeral. Be wise! Choose God over the world. He will never fail you! His promises are sure to come to pass; for if He said it, He will definitely do it. "No jot or tittle of His word will pass away, even if heaven and earth pass away(paraphrased)"-matthew 5:18

Furthermore, we must understand that the people of this world hold tenaciously to the things of this world, because there hope is in this world and in this world alone. So, they live for the right here and right now, without considering the consequences of their actions. This is why they are prepared to kill, cheat, lie and covet, just to lay hold on earthly possessions. But as believers, we must understand that this world is not our home, we are just passing by. There is life after this life, we would meet our savior someday. He promised to come back for us. Therefore, we must live with the end in mind. We must live as people who have a two fold life: The HERE and the HEREAFTER. Chasing after material things is a reflection of an attitude which shows that we don't look beyond this world.

The KINGDOM LIFE looks beyond ths world. The Kingdom life is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The Kingdom life is doing the will of God, seeking the will of God and going after the will of God. The Kingdom life asks for souls and not money. The Kingdom life asks for righteousness and not for millions. The Kingdom life seeks God and not self. The Kingdom life lives for heaven and not for the earth. In the book of I Chronicles 1: 7-12, we see Solomon make a great and wise use of the opportunity God gave him. He was given the freewill to ask God for anything. But rather than ask for the death of his enemies, or for wealth and fame, he simply asked God for the wisdom to lead God's people rightly. In response, God gave him wisdom and then added wealth, fame, power and influence to it. Even God Himself commended Solomon for asking wisely. This shows that if we ask God for the things of the Kingdom, He would also add to us the things we didn't ask for. He might even add to us the material things we didn't ask for.

In conclusion, Jesus said, "in my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you..."-John 14:1. There is a better place beyond this world, which the lord has prepared for us. But in order to get there, we must begin preparation from right here and right now. And this can only be done by living the Kingdom life. But the Kingdom life begins with a Kingdom mentality. This means that we must first change the way we think, Romans 12:2, talked anout not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. So for instance, we must first begin to change the way we think about money, wealth, fame, and this world, and start looking at life from the perspective of the word of God. It is then and only then, shall we begin to manifest the life of the Kingdom of God. We also need to seek the help of the holy spirit and constantly stay in God's word to live as ambassadors of Christ in a world of sin.

Action Point: Make up your mind to live for God, ask God for the help to live for Him, start studying God's word with the help of the holy spirit and begin to practice what you read. You will begin to see a change in your life. Those worldy things that tend to draw you, will begin to lose their grip on you, because you will gradually begin to understand that your life and where God has prepared for you (HIS KINGDOM) is more important than whatever the world has to offer.