St. Mary's Anglican Church, Agbala Maria, Surulere, Ondo

26/12/2025

21/10/2025

Date: 2025-10-21

TOPIC: BE A TEAM MEMBER
TEXT: Colossians 4:7-14(NIV)
4:7. Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.
4:8. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,
4:9. with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is [one] of you. They will make known to you all things which [are happening] here.
4:10. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),
4:11. and Jesus who is called Justus. These [are my] only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
4:12. Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
4:13. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
4:14. Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.

STUDY: Partnership and team work are important requirements in ministry. When members of the body of Christ work together, it reflects or shows the very nature of the triune God and how He designed his Church to function. During his missionary exploits, Paul didn't do it all alone but had several companions who offered help and encouragement all the way. He followed Jesus' example with the disciples. His (Paul's) ministry was effective and successful because of the helpful people whose commitment did not shake. His team members had different backgrounds (Jews and Gentiles), and played different roles (messengers, helpers, physicians, prayer warriors, slaves, burden bearers). Each played a significant role and Paul commended them publicly. Beloved, you need to be part of a team when it comes to doing God's work in whatever local church you attend so as to fulfill God's purposes for his church. God wants to use you and all you need to do is submit yourself to him. Don't complain about your shortcomings because there is no such thing as one who is more significant or qualified than others in a team. God uses the efforts of each team member in equally important, unique and special ways. You can't live the Christ-centered life on your own as alone.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, give me the grace to serve faithfully as a team member, Amen!

07/10/2025

Date: 2025-10-07

TOPIC: CHRIST,OUR ULTIMATE JOY
TEXT: Colossians 1:19-23(NIV)
1:19. For it pleased [the Father that] in Him all the fullness should dwell,
1:20. and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
1:21. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
1:22. in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight --
1:23. if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

STUDY: Sometimes, I wonder why non-believers do the things they do; I wonder how someone will not see that a certain habit, character or lifestyle, is harmful. I have wondered why some people dress terribly, for example, and not see that it reduces the perception of their dignity. I did this until it dawned on me that but for Christ, I will not be different; I perhaps will be worse than the people I wonder about. I believe this goes for all of us who are the disciples of Christ. The way Christ has so washed our lives and changed our values makes us forget that we are the way we are only because He washed and changed us; He killed the appetite for sin in us, making us hate what non-believers seem to like. A good look at verses 21 and 22 will reveal why we are the way we are now as believers: "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him..." So, what ought to be our response now? Each person who knows the Lord ought to be praying for the lost with compassion. We must also be involved in seeking the restoration of lost souls.
PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for making me who I am by your sacrificial blood. Help me to be joyful in you till eternity and make an agent of change by your Grace. Amen

22/09/2025

Date: 2025-09-22

TOPIC: LOVE:A MORE EXCEPTIONAL WAY
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13(NIV)
13:1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
13:2. And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
13:3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor,] and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
13:4. Love suffers long [and] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
13:5. does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
13:6. does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
13:7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
13:8. Love never fails. But whether [there are] prophecies, they will fail; whether [there are] tongues, they will cease; whether [there is] knowledge, it will vanish away.
13:9. For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
13:10. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
13:11. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
13:12. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13:13. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.

STUDY: In chapter 12, Paul gave evidence of the Corinthians' lack of love in the use of spiritual gifts. Our text today shows that love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the body of Christ. Our text also describes God's kind of love which is unselfish and goes against our natural beliefs and way of loving. This most excellent way is the way of kindness, long suffering, and enduring evil, injury or provocation. In this way, pride and vainglory are subdued and there is no room for envy, hatred, malice, or revenge. Love is the fulfillment of all the laws of God and once we allow the love of God to spread over us, our hearts will be transformed and we will receive the impartation of the agape love. However, this will only be possible if we allow the light of the gospel to bring the knowledge of Christ to inspire faith and hope in us which will help us to set aside our natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. Thus, the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others. This will help us to understand that love is the greatest of all human qualities and an attribute of God himself (I John 4:8).

PRAYER: Dear Father, please pour your love into my heart

15/09/2025

COME LET'S PRAISE THE LORD, FIR HE'S GOOD AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER

15/09/2025

Date: 2025-09-15

TOPIC: LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
TEXT: Romans 8:8-23(NIV)
8:8. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
8:9. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
8:10. And if Christ [is] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin, but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.
8:11. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
8:12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors -- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
8:13. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
8:15. For you did not receive the spirit of bo***ge again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
8:16. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
8:17. and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him,] that we may also be glorified together.
8:18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
8:19. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
8:20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope;
8:21. because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bo***ge of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
8:22. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
8:23. Not only [that,] but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

STUDY: Life in the Spirit is a life in which the Spirit of God dwells and consequently directs the life of the believer who has genuinely surrendered his/her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (v 9-10). Such life is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life that overcomes the lustful desires of the flesh (Adamic nature) and as a result can mortify the deeds of his body (v 11-13). Furthermore, the presence of the Spirit of God in a man serve as proof that that man is a child of God. This is because according to v 14-16, the Spirit of God bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. Such are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Being joint heirs of God and joint heir with Christ qualify the believers to enjoy great inheritance that we have in God. This inheritance is manifested in two ways: first in the glory that shall be revealed to the world (v 18-21) and second in the suffering the believer will have to go through for the sake of his faith. Friends, there is no condemnation to believers that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. I hope you are part of this group of believers? If you are not, you can become a member by surrendering your life to Jesus Christ and ask Him to become the Lord of your life and thus put the Spirit of God inside of you.

PRAYER: Dear Lord I submit my heart to you afresh, please come into my heart and fill me with your spirit in Jesus name, Amen.

06/09/2025

Date: 2025-09-07
Trinity XII
TOPIC: PRAYING IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
TEXT: Romans 8:26-30(NIV)
8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
8:27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit [is,] because He makes intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
8:29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
8:30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

STUDY: Prayer is one of the most essential aspects of the Christian life. In fact, without a healthy prayer life, a successful and victorious Christian journey is almost impossible. Prayer for a Christian is not just an act of asking, but more correctly an act of relating and remaining in relationship with God. It is how we commune and connect spiritually with our heavenly Father. It is also one of the most effective weapons (offensive and defensive) of our warfare. However, for our prayer to be effective in achieving the stated purposes, it has to be done correctly and for the right purposes. No wonder the disciples asked Jesus to “teach us how to pray" (Luke 11:1-2). The only correct, appropriate and divinely approved prayer is the one done in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is because, as humans, we are physically weak and this stands in our way and often prevents us from praying, though we desire to (Matt. 26:39-41). Again, we are emotionally weak that we do not know the correct needs to pray for. Thus, we pray for things to fulfill lustful desires, selfish gain and satisfaction of ego (James 4:2-5). To pray aright therefore, we need the assistance and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, we need the Holy Spirit to do the actual praying for us. Meanwhile, to gain access to the Holy Spirit, we must allow the Spirit of God dwell in us as we manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit daily (Gal.5:22). Praying in tongues is another way the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities in praying; hence we need to thirst and hunger for the gift of praying in tongues (Rom.8:26; 1 Cor. 14:4&5).

PRAYER: Heavenly father; according to your promise, fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' Name.

06/09/2025