Swedru senior high

SERMON IN BRIEF

THEME: COME HOLY SPIRIT, GIVE US LOVE
BIBLE READINGS: EZEKIEL 37: 1 – 14; ACTS 2: 1 – 21; JOHN 16: 5 – 15
TEXT: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:4).

INTRODUCTION
This Sunday is the Pentecost Day. It is a day set apart to remember and celebrate the out pouring of the Holy Spirit that marks the birth of the New Testament Church. This year, we reflect on the theme, ‘COME HOLY SPIRIT, GIVE US LOVE.’ The Holy Spirit is already with us here. But we need more of His presence, His influence, His rule and His manifestation so we pray and cry, ‘COME HOLY SPIRIT, We need you,’ as it is sung.

MAIN ISSUES
(A) THE DAY OF PENTECOST (ACTS 2: 1 - 21)
Pentecost is from the Greek word meaning ‘fifty.’ It is one of the three key Jewish festivals and it is celebrated 50 days after the Passover. Its celebration marks the end of grain harvest. Pentecost is also called the Feast of Weeks (Deut. 16:10), the Feast of Harvest (23:16) and the day of First fruits (Num. 28:26). The believers had met together to celebrate Pentecost and suddenly they experienced the outpouring of the long awaiting Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 1 – 4, 17 – 21). To us as Church, it is not just a Jewish Festival but a birth of the New Testament Church where a promise made in Joel’s time (Joel 2: 28 - 32) did occur fifty days after resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is also ten days after His ascension into Heaven. The Day of Pentecost came with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on everyone who was present. It came with fire, power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 1 – 4). The Day of Pentecost caused people who have come from various places for celebration and probably for entertainment changed their agenda, stopped and listened to a long sermon from the apostles led by Peter (Acts 2: 5 – 12, 17 - 36). Oh! On that Day people heard the Gospel and, ‘they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Oh Come Holy Spirit! That your message will touch people’s heart. On that Day Peter made the response very simple and straight forward, ‘REPENT!’ (Acts 2:38). Oh Come Holy Spirit that we preachers will be truthful and preach plain message without compromise (For example, John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rev. 20:15, etc.). We need another encounter in our day. Come Holy Spirit.

(B) COME HOLY SPIRIT (JOHN 16: 5 – 15)
The Holy Spirit is God. He is the Third Person of the Trinity or the Triune God (Matt. 28:19).
He is also a Person. Being a Person does not mean He is flesh and blood As a Person He has will (1 Cor. 12:11), He can be grieved (Eph. 4:30) and He has knowledge (Acts 5:1 – 3). The Holy Spirit still remains as Spirit. He is our Counsellor and Comforter (John 16:7) as part of this crucial role, He convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). Christ Jesus told the disciples, ‘But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth’ (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit guides and speaks only what He hears. He also tells us what is yet to come (vs. 14). The workings of the Holy Spirit bring glory to the entire Triune God and do not contradict the Word of God (vs. 14 – 15). If we want the Holy Spirit to come, then we should be ready for Him to convict us of sin and we should also be willing for Him to guide us and take full control over our lives.

(C) COME HOLY SPIRIT, GIVE US LOVE (ACTS 2: 14 – 18)
‘Come Holy Spirit, give us love.’ We need the Pentecostal love which is given by the Holy Spirit. As we are celebrating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we pray that He visits us once more with His unconditional love. We pray that the Holy Spirit will give us love for the main mission as an individual and as Church, the Body of Christ. As a Church we have lost the vision and the mandate for that Pentecostal encounter: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matt. 28:19), ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses’ (Acts 1:8). The same Peter who had wanted to go back for fishing and succeeded in swaying other disciples to follow him (John 21: 1 – 4), ‘Then stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd’ (Acts 2:14). The love and the empowerment for the work enabled them to draw about 3000 souls to Christ (Acts 2:41). Such love will also help us to be more committed to the things of the Lord. These include Biblical teachings, fellowshipping, communion, prayer, sharing and caring for one another (Acts 2: 42 – 47). May the Holy Spirit renew our zeal and love for the things of the Lord. ‘Come Holy Spirit, we need you.’

(D) THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES HOPELESS SITUATION (EZEKIEL 37: 1 – 14)
Ezekiel said, ‘the hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones (Ezek. 37:1). In a vision, the Lord brought Prophet Ezekiel to a middle of a valley which was full of bones and the bones were very dry. It was a hopeless situation (Ezek. 37: 2 – 3). The dry bones can't live and it appears there is no hope. Ezekiel therefore said, 'O Sovereign Lord, you alone know' (Ezekiel 37:3). It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes the difference in every situation. Let the Holy Spirit come and whatever is dry or dead both physically and spiritually will come back to life (Ezekiel 37: 4 - 14).

CONCLUSION
We need another Pentecostal encounter in our time. Come Holy Spirit and fill us all. We need you. Give your life to Jesus.

God bless you
Rev. Isaac Nana Sam

🕎🕎🕎
*LENT FAST DAY 3*
FEB. 29, 2020

Theme: FAITH CHANGES YOUR NATURAL TO THE SUPERNATURAL

*"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4.

*There are natural and supernatural laws in this world. However, the supernatural laws (also known as spiritual laws) rule the natural laws. The law of faith is what is required to convert natural laws to supernatural.

*When you choose to see through the eyes of faith, you silence every natural law working at the time. That's why it's important to walk by faith. Without it you will be given what you don't want. Practice walking by faith. When the medical report says you cannot walk, respond in faith. Don't go like "I'm finished". Release your faith instead.

Say *"thank you Father for the work you wrought through Christ on the cross.Thank you because by your stripes I was healed. I declare that am the healed of God in Christ."

As you do, you will change this situation by the law of faith. That's the Christian walk of faith.

*Do not consider lying vanities in order to forsake your own mercy Jonah 2:8.
So, learn to say what God has said concerning you only. Your faith is what gives birth to the spiritual in the natural. If you want to consider your life, see it Through faith.

*Fight to walk by faith, not by sight 2 Cor. 5:7.
Everything you see in the physical exists because someone saw it in the spirit and brought it into existence by faith.

*Decide what you will change by your faith today. Don't respond to situations in fear. Instead, let faith lead you. Your health, promotion, increase and vindication awaits you in the realm of the spirit. God has already given you all you will ever require on earth.

* However, your faith in God is all you need to dig them up from the spirit realm. Use your faith to dip them up. Fight the good fight of faith
1 Timothy 6:12. Call things that be not as though they were
Romans 4:17. Build your faith instead of the fear.
Amplify what you see through the eyes of faith in the power of God instead of that which fear pains to you.

*PRAYER*
I pray for you that your faith in God should not fail you. May the Lord help you to build all you do on faith which work by love.
Receive grace to do so in Jesus name.
Pray against the spirit of fear and doubt the devil suggests in the minds of people to lose trust in God and in His power in them.

God bless you.
By RICHARD KEELSON

*ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE*
26-02-2020

THEME: *REND YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR GARMENTS*

BIBLE READINGS:
JOEL 2: 12 – 17; 2 CORINTHIANS 5: 20 – 6:10; MATTHEW 6: 1 – 6, 16 – 21

TEXT: JOEL 2:13
"Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil."

INTRODUCTION
Fasting is one of the key disciplines that is required of every Christian. For this matter, the Church has instituted at least a forty-day fasting period (From Ash Wednesday to Saturday before Easter, excluding Sundays) where all of us (Joel 2: 16 – 17) should be part of it as our preparation towards the Easter festivities.

This period is normally termed as Lenten period. The Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of lent. The Ash Wednesday is a double encounter by Christians:
(1) We confront our own mortality and the weakness of the flesh.
(2) We are confronted by a Holy God before whom we make confession of our sins and ask to be forgiven and redeemed.

The imposition of the Ash on the forehead, with the sign of the Cross of Jesus, is a reminder that, ‘You are a dust, and to dust you shall return.’

MAIN ISSUES
(A) REND YOUR HEART (JOEL 2: 12 – 17)
At lent, we show a true repentance before God. Prophet Joel condemns the practice where the Israelites showed deep repentance by tearing their clothes. God is not interested in outward display of penitence without true inward repentance.

Lenten period is not just a period of 40 –day fast gear towards having a breakthrough to our needs (though it has always accompanied God’s blessing) but a moment to have a deep sorrow for our weaknesses and work towards overcoming such weaknesses. It is also a moment to plead for God’s mercies against the consequences of our shortcomings as a nation and as a church.

All inclusive and our prayer is ‘Spare your people, O Lord’ (Joel 2: 16 – 17).

(B) BE RECONCILED TO GOD (2 CORINTHIANS 5: 20 – 6:10)
The period is also a moment to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Prophet Joel again makes it clear, ‘ *Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning'* (Joel 2:12).

Through the saving works of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can be reconciled to God and through us others can also be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Do not let this day or the period go without taking a firm decision. Decide now! (2 Cor. 5: 20 – 6: 2).

(C) THE ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (MATTHEW 6: 1 – 6, 16 – 21)
What should we do during this Lenten season? The season involves godly living and after which the godliness and holy living should be a permanent mark of a Christian. We must also practice ‘Acts of righteousness’ (Matt. 6:1a).

Lenten period is not only fasting (Matt. 5: 16 – 18), but it also involves praying (Matt. 5: 5 – 15) and giving (Matt 5: 2 – 4). These ‘acts’ should not be done as show-off but it should be done in sincerity.

Fast, based on what the group has agreed on other than that the duration for the fasting as individuals should be determined by your ability. Find time within the day and pray (and read your Bible) despite your busy schedule. This is an appointment with the Lord and it has greater value than an appointment with your medical Doctor.

You can use your break periods for that purpose. Give, give and give. Give to the poor and the needy; give to support God’s work and give to anyone that you have promised. Unfulfilled promise is worthless if you fail or refuse to fulfill; it will surely hinder your blessings.

CONCLUSION
Lent is with us once again. Let us prepare fully to take part. And God who sees what is done in secret will reward you greatly. It is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord and an opportunity also to have your major breakthrough as a bonus blessing and favour from the Lord.

PRAYER:
Lord teach our hearts to know your will to overcome our shortcomings for victorious Christian living as we go through this Lenten fasting and almsgiving season.

God bless you
Rev. Isaac Nana Sam

End of Round 2

Swedru SHS: 29pts
Hope College: 18pts
Methodist High School: 2pts
Oguaa SHTS 12pts
Nyakrom SHTS: 1pt

Swedru Senior High School at 61 Anniversary celebration in pictures
@61

Higher heights👌

End of Round 1

Swedru SHS: 25pts
Hope College: 17pts
Methodist High School: 5pts
Oguaa SHTS 4pts
Nyakrom SHTS: 2pts

Semper Cum.....
Always with the best!!

SWESCO 61st SPEECH AND PRIZE GIVING DAY
THEME:
"FREE SHS, A SCHEME FOR DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL THROUGH PRACTICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION."

DON'T MISS🤗