EXAMINING OUR ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR 2018
TEXT: 2Cor.13:5
By: Peters Obentey (Evang)
Church of Christ ikeja

INTRODUCTION
It is not an easy task to examine oneself critically and accept failure. But it should not be difficult if we truly want to do better tomorrow so as to please God.
This sermon is aimed at our self-examination of all our activities for the year 2018 as a church and as individuals in both our spiritual activities and economic activities. That is, what are the progresses we made and where did we fail and why did we fail, so as not to repeat the same thing the next year. He who does not learn from the past will keep on making the same mistake over and over again.

AREAS OF SELF-EXAMINATION IN SPIRITUAL LIVES
• PRAYERS: In our prayer life and as a church. How many times did we fast and prayed, how many hours did we spend every night or everyday praying for ourselves and the church. Lk.18:1-5, I Thess.5:17, Eph.6:18, I Cors.10:4.
• ATTENDANCE: In our attendance of bible study, how many times did we attend the Wednesday bible class and even Sunday worship services for 2018? Did we make a pass mark if the Lord were to examine us? Or did we fail? (Heb. 10:25, 2Tim. 2:15, Hos. 4:6)
• EVANGELISM: How about personal evangelism and being part of corporate evangelism as a church (Mk. 16:15-16, Dan. 12:3, 2Cor. 5:18-20). You always walk away during evangelism and you think God will hold you accountable on judgement day? You were too busy or ashamed to preach Christ? (Rom. 1:14-17, Mk. 8:38)
• SELF-IMPROVEMENT: How much did you consciously study the word of God to grow and prepare to become a worker, teacher, an elder or a deacon in the year 2018, that you will build upon in the next year, so that in the nearest future you will be qualified (2Tim. 2:2, 15, 1Tim. 3:1-10).
• OUR HOMES: What effort did we make to put our houses in order? (Isa. 38:1-4).
• OUR CHILDREN: What effort did we make to see that our little children/grown up ones follow God (Prov. 22:6, Eph. 6:4, Gen. 18:19, Jos. 24:15), and to marry in the Lord? (1Cor. 9:5).
B. WHAT ABOUT OUR INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIC LIVES
What new thing did we do in our lives that are remarkable for the year 2018? Did we make savings to start a new business? Did we make any specific plan for any of our children to move up in the ladder of life so as to become somebody in life?
We must realize that nothing actually moves in life except someone is ready to drive it, the car, the plane, the ship. Even the drone, moves only because someone is driving the process. So nothing will move in your life except you are ready to make the move.
Someone once said “Life will not give you anything; you have to take what you want from life”. Michael Jordan said, “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying”.
Have you tried something in 2018 and you failed or you did not make any trial at success at all? If you tried and failed, what experience did you gain that will help you do better next year?
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith”, to realize our dreams of tomorrow.
But if you don’t have any dream at all I doubt if you will ever wake up to realize anything meaningful in life.

CONCLUSION
We are lucky to be alive and well, we still have hope to do better both in our spiritual lives and in our business and economic lives. May God help us to achieve better results for next year for His glory and in our lives in Jesus name
Church of Christ
6a Pepple Street
Ikeja, Lagos