THEME: START OUT GOD’S WAY
TEXT: PROV.3:3-6, ISA.41:10-13, 2KG.3:11, 1SAM.9:5-9, ACT.1:15-26, 2:1-5, 2SAM.5:18-23

                       TOPIC: GOD’S WAY; THE PATH TO INCREASED GREATNESS.
TEXT: JER.29:11, EPH.2:10, JOSH.1:8, PS.19:7-11, PROV.23:12, GEN.12:1-4, GEN.13:1-6,


INTRODUCTION
God through His servant the General Overseer has revealed unto us His thoughts towards His church for 2017; Our Year of Increased Greatness. A critical examination of this message reveals 2 things;
1.      His divine all round promotion for His own – increased greatness
2.      A reminder of who we are – a great people.
As children of God, He expects us to continually live in the consciousness of who we are because that is going to be one of the key ingredients that will propel us in attaining to His thoughts for us this new year – 1Pet.2:9, 1Sam.17:22-26. To confirm the above, the Lord also spoke through His servant the District Overseer that 2017 is a year of Power, Dominion and in addition, Prosperity (Increased Greatness). As a great people, God expects us to exhibit the virtues; Power and Dominion if we must attain to Prosperity (Increased Greatness) – 3Jn.1:2.
But there is a journey we must embark on if we must attain to this new level as declared by God; the journey between greatness and increased greatness; for increased greatness is not our outset for 2017 but our destination; it is not a free gift but that which we must earn.


HOW DO WE SUCCEED IN THE JOURNEY BETWEEN GREATNESS AND INCREASED GREATNESS

1.      Determine always to hear from God and God alone – Isa.30:1-3; 21, Prov.23:12, Isa.45:1-3.

God is a revealer of secrets; He knoweth the secret path from greatness to increased greatness for He formed it. It is He who opens the leaved gates and they are never shut. He maketh every crooked path straight; He breaks in pieces every gates of brass and cut in sunder every bars of iron.


2.      Total obedience to God instruction regardless of what men may say – 1Sam.15:1-24, Gen.12:1-4, Gen.13:1-2.

In the journey to increased greatness, men would always pose as road barriers, some friends, some family members while others maybe those behind the scene but we must remember at all time that obedience to God’s instructions requires absolute trust in God’s judgment – Jer.10:23, Prov.3:5-6, Jer.17:7-8
3.      We must determine to see as God sees and avoid making hasty decisions for all that glitters is not gold – Gen.13:7-15, 1Sam.30:7-8, 1Sam.13:8-14.

In making hasty decisions many have found themselves in unpleasant situation contrary to their desires. Example of such was Lot who was carried away by the beauty of the plains of Jordan as some of us do today in our relationships not knowing the end of all was destruction if not for the interventions of his uncle Abraham.

As Christians let us unsure we seek God’s face for clearance over all things to avoid us running into irreversible problems.


4.      We must stay focus; our eyes/mindfixed on our goal as we continue with God all through 2017 – Isa.26:3, Lk.9:23, Matt.14:25-31, Heb12:1-2, Act.2:42, Eze.18:24, Eccl.7:8a.

It is one thing to start out God’s way, but it’s another thing to both continue and finish the race. The price is not usually awarded at the start of the race but at the finish point – 2Tim.4:7-8.


5.      We must study His word that we may have his approval for increased greatness –2Tim.2:15, Josh.1:8, Ps.1:1-3, Jer.17:7-8, Ps.119:105.

                                                                                                                 
CONCLUSION
-          Ps.19:7-11.
-          Vs 14(PRAYER): Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight all through 2017, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.