2023 THF ANNUAL UNUSUAL ENCOUNTER (Day 4 Morning)
4th of December, 2023
SERMON
SERMON TITLE: The God of Bethel
SERMON TEXT: Genesis 32
PREACHER: Pastor Toyin Kehinde
MESSAGE
Content: Opening prayer. Put your hands together for the almighty God. Let’s bless his name. Let’s worship him with your class offering. Father, we worship you! Worship song. No one like you among all the powers on earth O Lord! Thank you, Lord, for your presence that is here. Thank you for what you are going to do this morning. Number one, is the God of Unusual Encounter. Number two: the God of Bethel is the God of unusual consistency. Number three, the God of Bethel is the God of unusual promises. Genesis chapter 35: 1-3. Narration of the story. If God has not commanded him to go back; he wouldn’t have gone back. Because Bethel is the place of God’s encounter. And he said: God is in this place, and I did not know. Let us remember that Jacob knew that Giod is omnipresent – He’s everywhere. But then, Bethel is a meeting place of God. People of God, this is a meeting place of God. He took the stones that he used for pillow, raise them up – and pour oil on them to consecrate them – and said if God brought me back safely; I will worship him at this place. Thus, number 4 – the God of Bethel is the God of unusual consecration. It is those who have not had encounter with God – that don’t consecrate their life to God. After Jacob had the unusual encounter again; he said: this God will be my God. As if He doesn’t know initially that the God is his God. But it is the place of consecration. It is the place of dedication. You cannot have encounter with God and not consecrate yourself to him. Our God is a jealous God. If you will serve your God with all your heart, with all your mind… Our God is a God that demands consecration and dedication. Remember the story of encounter of Peter with our Lord Jesus Christ. You are going to have an encounter of surplus! Peter said we have toiled through the night and catch none. However, because of your words; we will throw down the net! Consecration! God needs more than your money and time! God needs you! He wants you and I to be fully committed to Him. So, Jacob, when God told him to return back to Bethel – He told his family- My people, let’s throw back our gods. Because in his previous journey of life – He has met people with different lifestyles, values, perceptions – and has added them to his own way of life. He was now a baggage of anything goes. When you are going to Bethel; you have to drop all the baggages – because it is time to encounter the God of Bethel. Story of the first time I went to US. There are things – lifestyles – values – behaviours – lifestyle of other people – we cannot carry to God of Bethel. Those who serve the God of Bethel have a different set of lifestyles and values. It doesn’t matter what other people are doing. We are a chosen generation – a royal priesthood – our lifestyle and principles are different. Even if we are in the world – we are not of the world. You know there are many gods that many of us are carrying around. One of the powerful gods we are carrying around these days is – Money. Jesus Christ said we cannot serve God and Mammon. Hallelujah, somebody! Lift up your hands and shout hallelujah! I heard people saying: Pastor, where man dey work; na there dem dey chop! But you are being paid your salary – why don’t you speak the truth! Now that the economy is so hard; a lot of people have thrown away purity, truth, and righteousness. I heard a man – this is my own lifestyle – in my family; we are always angry – and I said to him – Out of the good things in your family – it is only the anger that you are able to inherit! I used to be angry before – but I changed – the day I discovered in the bible that “Anger rests in the bosom of fools” and then I read further, and it says “Angry men dies before their time.” Those who comes to Bethel must leave their old lifestyle – and must dedicate themselves. The tax collectors came to him – and he told them – don’t tax more than it is necessary. If there is any lifestyle you must drop today – you need to drop it before you come to Bethel. If you look into the internet today; sexual purity is no more – sexual immorality has become normal thing. But when you are coming to the God of Bethel – you must drop every impurity in you. The story of Ananias and Sapphira – Lies! Lies everywhere! If the person you are lying to cannot see you; there is a God of Bethel who sees you! The story of Gehazi – Lies! You will have to keep on telling lies to cover the lies! Lies and covetousness makes him to lose the double portion of anointing of Elisha – and Elisha took the anointing to the grave! Jesus Christ said: What shall it profit a man that he should gain the whole world – and lose his own soul? Because your soul is more important – drop covetousness! These days – it is very difficult to preach that “godliness with contentment is a good gain.” The story of Rachel and the god he took from his father’s house – Laban. Thank God for the scientists – they have invented X-ray scan, CT-scan, MRI scan – which are all beautiful. Ladies and gentlemen, if there’s a machine that we can put in your heart to scan it and see pour secret lifestyle – How many of you will want us to see it?
Altar Call and Rededication of Life
Prayers
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