Tracts

Culled From Dipo Toby Alakija Illustrative Sermon Book, Title “An Agreement With Spirit Of Death, Read More At Google Play Books.

TWO MAIN REASONS FOR PREACHING THE WORD OF GOD

A man went to a hotel with the intention to commit suicide after he became fed up with his life. Before he took the poison which he brought along, however, he decided to call a Pastor who had been trying to convert him into a Christian. Here is their conversation, according to the Pastor: The man said, “Pastor, I am in a hotel right now with poison which I am going to drink when I am done talking with you. Actually I don't know why I am calling you because I have already made up my mind to drink the poison, no matter what you say.” The Pastor knew that his soul was hanging on his neck. So he tried to persuade him to let him see him before he took any further steps, asking him of his location so that he could go and meet him there. But the man was not persuaded. Then the Pastor asked if there was any Gideon Bible which was always placed in hotels and hospitals. As God would have it, there was one in the hotel room. So he told him to read two passages of the Bible that reveal the two places people end up when they die, saying, “death is a vehicle to eternity just as your birth on earth is a journey of life. How you end this journey of life will determine where you will end up in eternity. Now read the last book in the Bible called Revelation chapter 21 verse 8 and note where murderers, including those who kill themselves will end up.” The man told him to give him a minute to the read the place. The passage says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” After he read the place, the Pastor told him to read verse four of the same passage and note where those who die in Christ will end up. The Bible says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Again, the man read the passage and God touched him after he finished reading the passages of the Bible. He changed his mind about killing himself. The Pastor led him to Jesus Christ through the phone conversation that day. The followings are the two main reasons for preaching the word of God are as follows: 1. The Purpose Of Salvations Of Souls: The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish (by going to hell as in Revelation 21:8), but have everlasting life (by going to heaven as in Revelation 21 verse 4).” After people's souls are saved by seeking the kingdom of God first, other things they need on earth would be added as benefits of salvations of their souls, according to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-34. 2. The Purpose Of Judgment: The first coming of Jesus Christ into the world is to save mankind, not to judge anyone. When He comes the second time, however, He is coming to judge the world based on His words which He had used to save souls. For this reason, He said in John 12:47-48, “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

Culled From Dipo Toby Alakija Illustrative Sermon Book, Title “An Agreement With Spirit Of Death, Read More At Google Play Books.

THREE THINGS THAT PROVE THAT ALL CHRISTIANS MUST BE INVOLVED IN THE SERVICES OF THE LORD,

It’s an approach that brings together the best of financial planning and the best of investment management.

After hearing the message about evangelism, a 14-year old boy felt the need to preach to a family of five members who, unknown to him, were in dire need of food. When he knocked at the door, a man opened it and asked him what he was looking for. The boy who was holding his Bible told him he had come to preach the word of God to him. The man asked if there was really God.

“There is God, sir!” the boy quickly replied.

“What kind of God would allow me and my family to starve to death?”

“God would give you food if you give your life to Jesus Christ, sir.”

“Do I have to give my life to Jesus Christ before God gives us food? Well, tell God I don’t want to have anything to do with Him. And you…!” He pointed out at the boy. “Stay away from here. If you come here again, you will feel sorry!” He slammed the door.

The boy went to his parents and asked them to give him some food stuff after he told them about the family that was feeling hungry. When he went back to the poor family with lots of food items, he was so well received that the man’s wife said, “God has sent an angel to give us food!”

Of course, all the members of the family gave their lives to Jesus Christ. They are now fervent Christian family. If a boy who at that time just started his secondary school education could be used like an angel, what are the excuses of adults for not getting involved in the Lord’s business?

The following three things prove that every Christian is called to do one thing or the other for the Lord:

The Command Of Jesus Christ: The Lord said in Mark 16:15-16, “And he said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” This is a clear instruction for every true Christian to reach out to others for Christ. Failure to do that can cause some souls to wind up in hell as in Revelation 21:8, which says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Individual Talents: Talents given to all Christians are for them to do the Lord’s business, according to what He said in Matthew 25:14-30, not for personal or economic gain. Anyone who buries his or her talents or refuses to use them for the purpose they are designed for could lose his or her eternal life, going by what Jesus said in Matthew 25:30. He said, “And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness . There willl be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Consequences Of Disobedience To The Command: Another proof that God calls every Christian to do one thing or the other for Him is found in what God said in Ezekiel 3:18. He said, “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.”

The above Bible passages make it clear that anyone who is not doing anything for the Lord risks losing his or her salvation aside from souls that may damn the consequences of not yielding to the call.

Culled From Dipo Toby Alakija Illustrative Sermon Book, Title “An Agreement With Spirit Of Death, Read More At Google Play Books.

THREE BITTER FACTS ABOUT LIFE

Some years ago, a young woman who must have either died or become old said in a book that was published in the early 1970s, “The more I read about life’s splendour, the more I see its tragedy: The fleetingness of time, the ugliness of age, the certainty of death. The inevitable is always on my mind. Time is my slow executioner. When I see large crowds at the beach, or a football game, I think to myself: who among them is going to die first, and who last? How many of them will be dead next year? Five years from now? Ten years from now? I feel like crying out: How can you enjoy life when you know death is around the corner?”

A Preacher preached one of the messages in one of the illustrative books about three types of deaths during a funeral service of an elderly man but the following year, he was dead. Someone preaching during his funeral service of the minister also preached about death.

The three bitter facts about life are as follow:

Life Is Very Brief: The Bible says in James 4:14, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Life Has Only Two Purposes: One of the two purposes of life is to serve and worship God with it as in the case of King Hezekiah in 2 King 20:1-6 where he used his service to the Lord to live longer than the time he was supposed to die of sickness. The second purpose of life is found in the parable of Jesus Christ in Luke 12:16-21 where a rich man earned himself death sentence because he refused to share his wealth and time with others, thinking only about himself and how to make life more comfortable for himself. The lesson about this rich man is that life is not designed by God to be enjoyed, especially at the expense of other people. The question now is: how do you live your life? Do you oppress or depress or positively impact them with what God has given you or with the position God has placed you? If you positively impact other people, they will pray to God to bless you. I have experienced it through responses to messages like this online. If, however, you use your life to oppress or depress them, you will never get their good will. Aside from that, the life of an oppressor does not last. Even if it lasts, it always ends in misery.
Life Is A Journey: Irrespective of how long or short it may seems, life is a journey that will end either in the kingdom of God if it is given to Jesus as in Revelation 21:4 or in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, according to Revelation 21:8.

I pray that we shall all live our lives according to the purposes of God and then end up in the kingdom of God in Jesus’ name.