OPERATION #Hear&Do! (Action #15)

"The work of a watchman is 'blood business'."

The Bible records in John 10:41 that John the Baptist did no miracle. That verse of Scripture was Apostle Divine Norteye's opening reading. But why didn't John do any miracles? John preached repentance void of compassion. The man of God had no compassion; it is compassion that will enable you to perform miracles.

Ezekiel 3:17-21 talks about how God has chosen you to be a watchman. Your job is to warn the unrighteous to turn away from their own ways and to embrace God's grace. Otherwise, if they die in their sins, God will hold you accountable for their souls.

Apostle Divine intimated that the work of a watchman is 'blood business.' This is because the reference above says that if the wicked die in their sins, God will require their blood at your hand. Can you account for someone's blood?

Young Timothy followed after the faith of his mother and grandmother. You must carry the zeal of your forefathers in the faith.

Making reference to mind boggling deeds of darkness in certain parts of the world, the man of God announced that, "It is ONLY the Gospel that changes animalistic behaviour in human beings."

He then moved on to his theme of Becoming an Effective Shepherd. Apostle Divine said there are two kinds of shepherds:

# Meaty shepherds (like Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli the Priest) [read Ezekiel 34:1-6]

# True Shepherds (like Samuel the Prophet)

As you preach the Gospel, nothing shall by any means hurt you.

There are invisible forces in operation to help you carry out your ministry (read Joshua 5:13).

God is counting on you to reach your generation with the Gospel.

Don't go and preach condemnation like John the Baptist did. The Gospel is a message of God's love.

Watch over your sheep; pray for them. The shepherd is a caring and loving guide to the sheep.

Remember, people are the sheep.

Set time aside to CARE, FEED, and GATHER the sheep.

Arise and join the great work of winning souls to the Lord. Now that you're young, seize the opportunity to preach the Gospel.

Also remember, the words you hear today light you up on fire to go and preach the Gospel.

Keep this thought: The power of the Spirit is what is necessary for change in people's lives.

DO!: God wants all men to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). What are you doing about it? Arise and preach the Gospel today. Spend time in fervent intercession as well.

REVIEW: What are the key lessons you have learnt from today's Hear&Do? Please share to bless a brother or sister.

#BringafteryourownKind

OPERATION #Hear&Do! (Action #12)

"Sometimes, you can preach to yourself when you're alone."
- Bishop Matthew Addae-Mensah

Bishop shared briefly on The Art of Preaching and Teaching during the Worship/Praise Night of Camp 2015.

He noted that preaching is a public work which needs to be taught even though one can learn by observation.

He exhorted us to be properly dressed, adding that, "Your dressing is also a statement. You must look decently dressed."

Bishop treated three aspects of preaching.

The first was IMPROMPTU PREACHING. He explained that this is often done when presenting an evangelistic message. That is, you do not necessarily preach from a sermon outline or notes which have been prepared. He noted that quotable Scriptures in such an instance include John 3:16 and Romans 3:23. The man of God emphasised the need for us to be brief when doing impromptu preaching. He delineated the dichotomy between the love of God and the judgment of God, explaining that when you're preaching about God's love, do not deviate to God's judgment. Furthermore, he said you can pick a theme, for instance, about how to be born again (Read John chapter 3). This form of preaching (impromptu) is often done outside Church (in the community, at work, at the market, on the streets, etc.)

Secondly, Bishop shed some light on two principles for preaching in Church, or among a group. He talked about maintaining eye contact with all your audience, and pointed out that the trick is to survey the room or place where you're preaching with your eyes. That way, you can get everyone to be aware that the message is for them!

He then animatedly described another principle for teaching: hermeneutics. He noted that hermeneutics denotes demonstrating your message. You must dramatise it in such a way that your message will be livened up. It was a great joy to receive an array of demonstrations on stage by campers who volunteered to dramatise their message through hermeneutics!

Finally, Bishop charged us to do a lot of research when preparing to preach. He also explained that whereas PREACHING appeals to one's emotions, TEACHING appeals to the heater's conscience. He said that every message has 3 major components: the introductory/leading verse, the body and the conclusion. He then concluded by remarking that when you get to the climax of the message, don't delay; descend and conclude!

DO!: Preaching the Gospel is God's Number One Job. Learn to make it your utmost passion. With the knowledge of impromptu preaching, it's very clear that you're sure to 'nail it' when opportunities come your way to preach the Gospel. If you're an M.O.D. during a Chruch Service or you're leading a home cell meeting, you should be able to maintain eye contact with the congregation and make good use of hermeneutics.

REVIEW: What are the key lessons you have learnt from today's Hear&Do? Please share to bless a brother or sister.

#BringafteryourownKind