10th Sunday after Trinity of 16th/08/2020 Some bibles say, self-discipline or sound mind. Do you believe that God is giving you everything you need to leave for Him in this world?

 Am reminded of a certain scholarship for he used 3 B’s: a). Believe b). Behave c). Become. The way you believe is the way you behave and the way you behave is ultimately what you become. Knowing that God exists ( that is where most of us are) is different from believing in God. Why? Because sometimes we doubt His power, we doubt in His love and we doubt in His control,

 Paul here is encouraging Timothy to trust in God not in himself. We should not rely on ourselves but in God. We should know that God exists and continue to encourage others that God has given us the spirit of power, spirit of love and self-control/discipline/sound mind.  Ask your neighbor, do you believe?       

We see from the text, Timothy is troubled and Paul is encouraging him. We always get discouraged looking at what is happening in our families, in our communities, in our churches, in our government, last week, we saw how a church was demolished in Ndeeba, St Peter’s church of Uganda, and we all got furious, isn’t it? So some of us were tormented by the spirit of fear

Friends, it is easy to be discouraged by what comes from the corner or from around us, ( may be: you’re looking at paying your rent and there’s no money, may be sickness which has taken probably along time without curing, may be barrenness( no productivity in terms of children or no productivity in the area of finances), No job, no food at home, you’re feeling insecurity upon your life, people are laughing at you (mockery), you feel that you’re abandoned, you feel that you’re no body,   may be the bank is demanding money from you because you got a loan

People despise you. So there’s trouble within you. Wherever you go you see trouble. People are against you at your work place. Your family members have turned against you. May be you have not got your retirement package and it is not even there! So you’re tormented by the spirit of fear. Every phone call you receive is talking about a debt to be paid or death announcement and therefore they need money from you. Or your new house has caught fire, etc, it is you that problems are running too. And you’re asking yourself a question, why me?

The moment you get money may be 1million and a problem comes and takes all the money and even in a deficit. And there’s no saving in your bank account. For the last fifty (50 yrs.) you have been earning but you do not see any difference with someone who is not employed. And you’re about to retire. And you’re giving up! That is a spirit of fear so thoughts are piling on you. Sometimes you even get scared of your own shadow because you’re thinking that the bankers have come to arrest you because of the loan you borrowed, yet actually the bankers are not even there but because of your imagination within you because of your thinking or Belief.

 Brothers and sisters do not fall in that trap of fear, For the word of God reminds us that,  For God has not given us a spirit of fear. Fear is not from God, it is from the enemy and sometimes it is from your own experiences or your weaknesses, or your own knowledge. You have this fear to face the lion of poverty, so you’re forced or taught to work harder. But child of God remember the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, wisdom supersedes knowledge because knowledge comes from earthly experiences but wisdom comes from God. It is better to rely on the God’s wisdom than earthly knowledge to be on the safe side.  Let’s refocus our thinking to understand that God has given you and me that beautiful job no matter what you earn, that beautiful family anything that you have. Even if you do not have a job ( learn to appreciate God for giving us this human hands, the brain and that we should make the best use of them now for the glory of His name.

 In dealing with that spirit of fear. Today know that, God has given us power, love and self-control. You may be thinking that this is not the job you’re supposed to be doing. My brother, my sister, do not lose hope, do not be discouraged, or dismayed, before you give up, do that job for the glory of God and learn to trust in God, for He will bless you.

Be encouraged even when you’re feeling to give up. That God has good plans for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  So receive His comfort as psalm 40:1-7 States.  Receive Justice from the Lord as stated in Isaiah 42:1-7. For the Lord has promised to intervene in your matter today, as stated in John 13:31-35.Receive your peace that t from the Lord that this world cannot give as stated in John 14:26 ff. And finally get your encouragement in 2cor 4:1-10.

If you’re there and you have not received Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, you may take this chance, and receive this precious gift, say Lord Jesus Christ the son of the living God, the Lord of Lords, the king of Kings, I come to you today, wash my sins away and write my name in the book of Life and wipe it off from the book of death, Jesus today I receive in my heart as my Lord and savior, and that I belong to you. I denounce the devil and all her schemes, from today am yours. Amen!

Father King of glory receives every soul that has welcomed you today. The power of the priesthood that you gave me, I now present them to you to receive in to your kingdom, in Jesus Christ sake, amen. Father I continue to bless every person who has been listening to me in this video, our viewers wherever they are in the name of Jesus Christ son of the living God. Bless them, remember them at their point of need, and make them to work in your ways. Make them know, that ” the way you believe is the way you behave and the way you behave is ultimately what you become,” in the name of the Father, the Son , and the Holy spirit. Amen

Rev Kokas Erusu