2015 – Page 5 – Emmanuel Kwesi Acquah

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

Jul 20, 2015

The Fall Of Man.

At the Garden of Eden were two trees: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the Tree of Life.

What caused the fall was that man ate the fruit, which hanged on tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the tree that man was barred from eating. Eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil produced death in man according to the scriptures. So man’s pain and death all began with the eating of the fruit, which hanged on the tree.

The result of the fall is as follows:

Loss of the glory of God which was their covering (Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,(NKJV). Hence, their nakedness was exposed.
Separation from God and loss of opportunity to live forever, coming under the control of death Gen 3:22
Came under curses Gen 3:16-19
Loss of dominion which they exercised and were expected to continue to exercise(Gen.1: 26-28) and their position in the garden (Gen 3: 22).
Gave a foothold to the devil. The serpent was to bruise man’s feet Gen 3:15

The Hope For Man

However, when the fullness of time had come, life anew also began with the eating of the fruit of life, which hanged on the tree (the cross).

So when any man eats of the Fruit of Life, in Christ Jesus, he or she would be assured of life eternal.

The sure way according to the scriptures is to believe on Him who hanged on the tree, even the son of God, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

To be continued

Couples Night New Takoradi Church of Pentecost

Jul 16, 2015

Transformation In CHRIST (Part 1)

Jul 15, 2015

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

DEFINITION: complete change: a complete change, usually into something with an improved appearance or usefulness

FOUNDATION – Faith In Christ

The journey to a gloriously transformed life begins with an encounter with the saving grace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. He is the foundation to a meaningful and long lasting transformed life.

Ro 10:9-10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The scriptures calls on us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

Ac 16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.. Household.”

Faith begins with the heart and flows through the mouth and ends with your hands and feet

THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE

John 3:3 … “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”…7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

1Pe 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

(NKJV)

The new birth begins with the planting of a seed (like natural birth). The seed of new birth is planted in us by the Spirit of God and it is an incorruptible seed, which is planted in the life of the one who believes. This seed ought to be nurtured.

THE NEW CREATION

2Co 5:17

The seed planted in us when properly nurtured brings the newness in us. Everything becomes new

It is our spirit that is born again, but our body and soul remains the same.

Spirit, Soul and Body all needs transformation – a continuous process

THE SEAL OF THE NEW CREATION

Once you are born again you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

2Co 1:21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God… 22 who also has SEALED us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

A seal conveys

Ownership
Genuine or authentic
Guaranteed quality
Security

Many waters cannot quench love 1

Jul 14, 2015

MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE 1
Songs of Solomon 8:6-7

Usage of Waters/Floods
1. The enemy
Isa 59:19… When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Re 12:15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

2. The world
Jer 46:8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

Jer 51:55 Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:

3. Difficulties/Weariness
Jer 12:5…. if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

Love defined
Love, i.e. affection or benevolence
Love goes beyond feeling, it is a decisive commitment and dedication to having affection or benevolence
Love never fails
1Co 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Key Words: What Love does and why it cannot be quenched

Bears : to roof over, to cover with silence (endure patiently) bear, suffer

Believes :Faith, trust, absence of suspicion

Hopes: to expect or confide:

Endures: to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; figuratively, to undergo,have fortitude, persevere:–abide, endure, (take) patient(-ly), suffer, tarry behind.

Leadership Factor 1

Jul 14, 2015

DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP

Leadership is seen as influence. It is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow. It is also getting people to work for you when they are not obligated. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care[i]. Leadership begins with the heart and not with the head. It blossoms with a deep meaningful relationship and not necessarily with multiple of laws.

THE LEADER’S DIVINE CONNECTION
A daily recognition that all strength for ministry comes from the power of the Holy Spirit is key to achieving success in leadership. The blessings of God on a leader is sure to grant him or her effectiveness and success. Like Uzziah as long as we seek the Lord He is sure to give us success in our leadership drive (2Chronicles 26:5).

The power of man is never sufficient to accomplish a God-sized task. Depending on self for leadership power would only shrink a ministry to a level that only human can handle[ii]. It should be noted that programmes don’t work-God works. Leadership abilities should be allowed to be invigorated by the glorious power of the Holy Ghost in the manifested power of the leaders life as well as the life of the believer.

DEFINING THE PURPOSE – POWER OF FOCUS

Ones’ purpose in leadership must be clearly defined and understood. Those leading and the led should all be clear in their minds, the reason for their mutual existence and for their actions. God’s purposes for ministry leadership must be known.

Strong churches are built on purpose. ..Plans, Programmes, and Personalities do not last. But God’s purpose will last….Unless the driving force behind a church is biblical, the health and growth of the church will never be what God intended. Strong churches are not built on programmes, personalities, or gimmicks. They are built on the eternal purposes of God[iii].

Jesus asked us to prove our love for Him by obeying His command (John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments). He then explains what the main commandments are:

Mt 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”. 37 Jesus said to him,” ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the first and great commandment. 39 “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The two commandments are to love the Lord and to Love your neighbor. Indeed there is only one Lord for us to love. As Christians we also have two main neighbours to love, that is the believing (Christian) neighbour and the Unbelieving (Unbeliever) neighbour. So simply put we exist as Christians to:

Love the Lord – Worship in Spirit and Truth (Acts 24:14[A.S.V], 2Cor 912-14; Rm12:1; Mt 14:33, Ps 95:1-6).
Love the Believer (Christians)- Work to edify one another (Acts 4:24-35, Acts 13:1-2, Acts 4:33, 1Co 2:4, Ro 15:18-19, Mt 28:19-20, Col 1:23)
Love the Unbeliever – Witness from our Jerusalem to the outermost part of the world

Christian leaders should be made to clearly appreciate what we exist for (Purpose) and be motivated to passionately live for them and to stay focused. The purposes would have to be constantly communicated to them and they should be reminded of the importance of knowing them.

GENUINENESS

Leaders should not just be real, to have a following , they should be genuine since people, especially the youth, easily detect leaders who are fake. You are most attractive when you are yourself. You don’t have to be cool you have to be real. The most valuable paintings are originals, not copies of original[iv]. It is said that “students can sniff a fake a mile away and so if we aren’t not genuine we should forget; the game is over. Leaders should not forget they are the ministry before they do ministry” [v].. Their credibility should always be intact to have any meaningful and credible youth following. People would build trust after spending time with the leader and seeing the walk behind his words.

THE BATTLE FOR THE HEART

You can’t move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. The heart comes before the hand. Don’t ever underestimate the importance of building relational bridges between yourself and the people you lead. There is an old saying: To lead yourself use your head; to lead others use your heart. Always touch a person’s heart before you ask him for a hand.

IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE – THE PEOPLE CENTERED AGENDA.

to be continued

[i] John Maxwell in Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook: Making the connection/Compiled by Sean McDowell and Ray Willey. (W Publishing Group, A Division of Thomas Nelson. Inc. USA, 2000). pp 66

[ii] Adema, D., ‘Power of Effective leadership’ in Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook. Making the Connection, Compiled by Sean McDowell and Ray Willey (USA; W Publishing Group, A Division of Thomas Nelson. Inc., 2000), p. 68.

[iii]Warren, R., cited by Doug Fields, in Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, 9 Essential Foundations of Healthy Growth, p. 45

[iv] Christie, L., ‘Presenting Great Talks’ in Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook. Making the connection. Compiled by Sean McDowell and Ray Willey, p 81.

[v] Webster, D., ‘Authentic Leadership’ in Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook. Making the connection, p. 72.73

Raising Pentecostal Champions

Jul 14, 2015

Raising Champions According to the Pentecostal Pattern

The Case of David

David was very young believed to be a teenager when he was anointed.
He was not even counted as worthy enough to be invited and sanctified 1Sam.16:1-13
David had some personal attributes 1Sam 16:18
- Skillful
- Mightily Brave
- Man of war – warrior
- Prudent in matters-wise
- Handsome
- The Lord was with him

The Champion Goliath

Philistine-uncircumcised
Defied the army of Israel
An enemy

David’s Challenges

His own brethren and the leadership
False accusation
- Pride
- Naughtiness of heart
- Interested in shows and just being adventurous
Was despises and mistrusted eg
- Thou art not able
- Though art but a youth
- Others or the enemy was said to be stronger

How he overcame and became a champion as a youth

He had been anointed and the Spirit of God was upon him
Subjected himself to divine training as a shepherd
A good and loving shepherd who was willing to:
- Lay his life for the sheep
- Went after attackers
- Defend the sheep
- Protect
- Deliver the attacked sheep
He stayed with Saul learning the practical rudiments of leadership – even though he had been anointed.
Very serviceable – served Saul, the father and the brethren
Had passion and zeal (1 Sam 17:26) about the name of the Lord and the people of God – in our case the name of the Lord and the church
Was reward driven
He also knew that the Spirit upon him was for a purpose – Is there not a cause? Vs. 29
Exercised boldness and willingness to go to battle –
Was not side tracked by mistrust, despise and negative comments eg
- Thou art not able
- Though art but a youth
- Others or the enemy is stronger
Had a testimony and relied on the God who gave him the testimony 17 vs 34-37

It should be noted that he was not relying on past glories but was relying on the God who gave him the past glories

Was not prepared to trust in the arm of flesh knowing that he had not proven them vs 39. Trusting in God he was prepared to make do with what he had or was used to
- We must learn to take off any unproven armory and practices
His outlook and orientation vs 45 –
1Sa 17:46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
- Motivation was for all to know that there is a God in Israel not that he was powerful, righteous, strong etc
- Recognized that the battle was the Lord’s
Finally, He went on the offensive and did not rather sit down for the enemy to attack him

LESSONS FOR US AS YOUTH BEING RAISED AS CHAMPIONS ACCORDING TO THE PENTECOSTAL PATTERN

Be filled with the Holy Ghost and Power Acts 1: 8
Be prepared to serve and learn from our fathers and leaders/Jesus and the Apostles, Paul and Timothy
Train to be very skillful with whatever we have: gifts, talents, exposure experiences etc./Paul Expert builder 1cor 3:10
A good and loving shepherd who was willing to: 1 Sam. 17:34,
- Lay his life for the sheep/willing to loose our comfort
- Went after the attackers/ We must be able to identify such
- Destroyed the predator/destroy what would destroy our youth. Defend the sheep
- Protect
- Deliver the attacked sheep

Heavenly reward driven. Our motivation should be the reward which has been set before us Heb 12:2, Phil 3:10 – 14
Must not be sidetracked by negative comments, mistrust and problems associated with youthfulness. At the same time watching over our lives such that the mistrust and suspicion does not come to pass/Jesus, The Disciples and the High Priest and Pharisees
Know our enemy’s armory 1Sa 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield cp 1Cor 12:11

Today it is not sword, spear etc but among others:

Changes in Family structures: Increased rate of separation and divorce, parental neglect, relational deprivation, violence.
Pluralism in Belief: All religions ultimately lead to God with the youth experimenting with all kinds of religious beliefs.
Post Christian Thinking: Secular humanism i.e. man is basically good. Right determined by what feels good at a time.
Postmodernism (Anything goes syndrome)–
- Individual’s identity is inseparable from what he does, thinks and believes.
- Religious and moral decisions are personal desire and opinion. And as Gene Veith puts it “The only wrong Idea is to believe in truth; the only sin is to believe in sin”
- Does not accept that objective truth exists. Anyone who claims to hold an objective truth that unfavorably judges the values, believes or lifestyles of another person is intolerant and bigoted.
Music and Media Impact. Music has become the language of the youth and the media their parents
Occultism Craze. Ironically as young people reject God, they are becoming increasingly exposed to the occult. Young people are recruited into Satanism, often by peers with a desire for supernatural power, sex and drugs.
False teachings, doctrines and spirituality

His outlook and orientation vs 45 – We should reflect same
- Went on battle in the Name Of The Lord Of Host, The God of the armies of Israel
- Confession of faith –
  
  1Sa 17:46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
  
  Faith in God and in his faithfulness Acts 3:16
- Motivation was for all to know that there is a God in Israel not that he was powerful, righteous, strong etc/Let all Israel know …… that … Acts 4:8-12
- Recognized that the battle was the Lord’s
Battle in the name of the Lord 1Sa 17:45b …. but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. Acts 4:10-12
We must take the battle to enemy through aggressive prayers, bible study and evangelism / power evangelism Acts 4:24-33, Acts 6:12, 8:1

Holy Ghost Conference Day 1

Jul 13, 2015

Apostle Emmanuel Kwesi Acquah Ministering at the Pentecost International Worship Center (PIWC) 59 Kempton Road, Kempton Park. Day 1 of the Holy Ghost Conference 2013 which took place at the Church of Pentecost National Office in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Spiritual Leadership 1

Jul 11, 2015

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP 1

DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP

Leadership is seen as influence.
It is being the person the people will gladly and confidently follow.
Getting people to work for you when they are not obligated.
The capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose- Myles Munroe
The inspired creation of followers who are willing and capable of achieving a goal

LEADERSHIP TRUTHS

Leadership begins with the heart not with the Head. It flourishes with a meaningful relationship not with more regulations. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. John Maxwell
The blind cannot lead the blind

Luke 6:39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

Bad leaders have a negative influence on followers

Isa 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.

Jer 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place.

ROOT OF LEADERSHIP

God as a leader

Ex 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

Ge 24:48

Note that when God refused to lead the Israelites by himself and chose Moses there were so many regulations.

Jesus as a leader

Eph 4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Ps 68:18)

Re 7:17 “for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

When Jesus came into the seen as the leader the numerous regulations were reduced to basically two: Love God and your neighbour

Holy Spirit as leader

Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Ga 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit it is further reduced to one: As many as are by the spirit or live by the Spirit and you would not fulfil the desires of the flesh. The Major New Testament law or regulation is to be led by the Spirit. Once we are led by the Spirit all others would fall in place (Rm 8.14, Gal 5:8)

Even in heaven there is leadership

To be continued

The church of Pentecost – South Africa

Jul 10, 2015

The Church of Pentecost Ethiopia

Jul 10, 2015

Archive

Yearly Archive for 2015

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

Couples Night New Takoradi Church of Pentecost

Transformation In CHRIST (Part 1)

Many waters cannot quench love 1

Leadership Factor 1

Raising Pentecostal Champions

Holy Ghost Conference Day 1

Spiritual Leadership 1

The church of Pentecost – South Africa

The Church of Pentecost Ethiopia

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