Oral Roberts, the legendary evangelist who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century, died Tuesday in Newport Beach, Calif., due to complications from pneumonia. He was 91.
The evangelist and founder of Oral Roberts University (ORU) died just days after he had been hospitalized near his California home because of a fall. His son, Richard, and daughter, Roberta, were by his side at the time of his death.
A memorial service is to be held Monday at 2 p.m. at ORU's Mabee Center in Tulsa, Okla.
"The Oral Roberts University family was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our dear chancellor, Oral Roberts," said Mark Rutland, president of ORU. "Chancellor Roberts was one of the brilliant spiritual lights of the 20th century and a giant of the Christian faith. At the core of his legacy is a great university that bears his name. Like millions worldwide, I am mourning his passing and am grateful for his visionary life and contributions."
Born Jan. 24, 1918, north of Ada, Oklahoma, Roberts survived a raging flu epidemic that wiped out more Americans than World War I. Before his life ended, he had written more than 120 books, pioneered American television evangelism, bolstered belief in divine healing and founded his trademark university.
"He's one of the most significant figures in American religious history," said Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan. "I think he planted the seeds publicly of what became the charismatic renewal after 1960 because the American public first saw Pentecostalism in their living rooms through his televised tent crusades."
Jack Hayford, former president of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, said of Roberts: "If God had not, in His sovereign will, raised up the ministry of Oral Roberts, the entire charismatic movement might not have occurred. Oral shook the landscape with the inescapable reality and practicality of Jesus' whole ministry. His teaching and concepts were foundational to the renewal that swept through the whole church. He taught concepts that spread throughout the world and simplified and focused a spiritual lifestyle that is embraced by huge sectors of today's church."
This man who eventually preached to millions-and laid hands on 1.5 million sick people-faced many physical challenges. He almost died from tuberculosis at age 17, but he told audiences later that he was healed in July 1935 during a tent revival.
En route to the meeting, he said he heard God say: "Son, I am going to heal you, and you are to take My healing power to your generation. You are to build Me a university and build it on My authority and the Holy Spirit."
In 1965 ORU opened its doors to its first 303 students. Small wonder that Roberts wrote in his 1995 autobiography, Expect A Miracle, "Some believe in miracles; some don't. Take miracles out of Oral Roberts' life and I'd be dead."
The son of a poor farmer who also picked cotton while preaching in Pentecostal Holiness churches, Roberts credited his parents with instilling faith in him at a young age.
He married his wife, Evelyn, and set out to lead his first revival at 23. After pastoring four churches he moved to Tulsa and started the evangelistic ministry that later bore his name.
Roberts' fortunes would change in the 1950s after he seized on radio and TV's potential to spread the healing message. By 1955 his program was on 800 radio stations and 200 TV outlets. Within two more years, 1,000 letters a day flooded his ministry.
While Roberts would be known as a healing evangelist throughout his career, it was the university he founded that brought lasting recognition. Although he stepped down as president in 1993, he remained chancellor and a lifetime trustee.
Through the years, the student body grew to 10 times its original size while the number of undergraduate majors expanded from 24 to 63. By the spring of 2008, ORU's rolls included 37,000 alumni.
Among notable alums are Clifton Taulbert (1971), entrepreneur and author who had one book nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and another made into a movie; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (1986-law); and Jim Stovall (1981), who co- founded a TV network for the visually impaired after losing his sight at age 29.
Former student and longtime professor Ralph Fagin, who assumed the interim presidency after Richard Roberts stepped down in November of 2007, fondly recalls the sign Oral Roberts kept on his desk: "Make no small plans here."
Not all of Roberts' initiatives succeeded. The highly touted medical school and City of Faith lasted only a decade. A graduate nursing program is gone, along with the dental school and law school.
However, Fagin thinks despite its closing in 1989, the medical school achieved a long-lasting impact. Many doctors now recognize the value of combining prayer with conventional treatment, something ORU's medical school tried to demonstrate.
"He was thinking so far ahead," Fagin said. "I think about his launching out in terms of TV ministry, but also the City of Faith and merging of prayer and medicine. All of these things were so ahead of his time."
Evangelist Benny Hinn calls Roberts a spiritual father whom he loved and respected, stretching back to his teens, when he decided to follow Christ. They eventually became neighbors in California, where Roberts lived out his final years.
"I have seen how his heart yearned for people of all ages and backgrounds to know Jesus Christ personally and how to enjoy the abundant life that is available to all believers," Hinn said. "What a legacy he leaves. Only heaven will reveal how many lives have been revolutionized through his seed-faith teaching."
Bible teacher Marilyn Hickey became aware of Roberts in the early 1950s when her mother was healed at one of his tent meetings in Denver. Though still skeptical after her mother was again healed, this time of a breast tumor while watching Roberts' TV program, Hickey was filled with the Spirit three years later and helped host a return visit to the city.
"We became partners [of] his ministry, and I began to see healings and miracles in my ministry," she said. "I said to the Lord, ‘I know You called me to be a teacher of the Word; what is happening here?' He said, ‘Psalms 133 says the anointing on the head comes on the body. You are a partner to Oral Roberts' ministry; he has a healing and miracle ministry, so that anointing comes on you."
Roberts lost his wife in 2005 after 66 years of marriage. He called Evelyn Roberts the most popular and respected person at ORU, saying when it was time for God to hand out rewards, hers would exceed his.
Richard Roberts, who served as a past president of ORU, described his father as "the greatest man of God I have ever known" and "a modern-day apostle of the healing ministry."
Oral Roberts is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Roberta and Ronald Potts; son Richard and daughter-in-law Lindsay; 12 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Charisma Magazine
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/25705-oral-roberts-dies-at-91
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Financial Blessing 2
Young's Literal Genesis 1:28, “And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.”
(Contemporary Version, “God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.”
MLB Genesis 9:1, “GOD BLESSED Noah and his sons and told them: Be fruitful, multiply and populate the earth”.
MLB Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly spheres through Christ,”
1.What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?
3106. makariÂzw~.
From G3107 = makaÉrioj~. To beatify, i.e. pronounce (or esteem) fortunate. Call blessed, count happy.
1293. HKÆRFbé~. From H1288 = ‚éRAbÆ~. Benediction; by implication
prosperity. Blessing, liberal, pool, present.
•But where man is in mind, to be blessed it is used in the sense of “happy” or “favored,”
•MLB Genesis 24:35, “and the LORD has richly blessed my master; he has become great. He has given him flocks, and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.”
•In the above scripture, blessings meant riches
•So, to be blessed among other things means: to be happy, prosperous, successful, healthy, rich, have enough or more than enough.
•To be blessed does not mean to be poor, sick, miserable, troubled, etc
2.How To Be A Blessing?
•KJV-R (Webster) Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: KJV-R (Webster) Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
•Contemporary Version Genesis 12v1-3, “The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.”
•Genesis 39v 1“The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king's [a] official in charge of the palace guard. 2-3So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner. Soon Potiphar realized that the LORD was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. 4Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. 5Because of Joseph, the LORD began to bless Potiphar's family and fields. 6Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.”
•Genesis 30 25After Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban, "Release me from our agreement [i] and let me return to my own country. 26You know how hard I've worked for you, so let me take my wives and children and leave." 27-28But Laban told him, "If you really are my friend, stay on, and I'll pay whatever you ask. I'm sure [j] the LORD has blessed me because of you." 29Jacob answered: You've seen how hard I've worked for you, and you know how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. 30You didn't have much before I came, but the LORD has blessed everything I have ever done for you. Now it's time for me to start looking out for my own family.
•Your employer should be blessed because of your working for them
•Your family should be blessed for having you part of them
•Your friends should be blessed for having you
•Are you a blessing to others? Do you add value to others or do you always drain others?
•Acts 20v35, “By everything I did, I showed how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, "More blessings come from giving than from receiving."
•Exercise giving, start from where you are. Serve other people. Give from the little you have. It means a great deal to somebody when you give to them and meet their need.
•Give your time
•Help others even by serving at their occasions e.g. weddings, funeral, etc
•Be resourceful as a person, contribute to the success or benefit of others, be concerned about your being of help to others more what you get from them.
•Giving somebody money for bus fare may be a great blessing to them if they are in need
•I have purposed in my heart that I will be helpful to others as long as it is my power to.
•Prov 22:9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
•Prov 19:6 Many will entreat the favor of a liberal man, and every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.
•I have been wakened up in the night, 1000, 1100, 0000 to help people with transport. Though at times it would be painful, I have done it with satisfaction knowing that I have been a blessing to somebody.
•I have given people free transport, even sinners have said to me “God bless you.”
•It is good for people to praise God because of your service to them.
•I always get satisfaction when I help and or give than when I receive from others
•I have employed or facilitated employment for a number of people, and that gives me joy.
•What is it that you have done for others? Have you been of any value to other people?
•At the same time, it has pained to see a need and fail to do something about it, see somebody in need and not have resources to help!
•My prayer and goal in life is to be resourceful enough that any need I see in people, I be able to meet.
•As an example, I desire to have different type of cars, sedans, trucks, buses, etc so that when somebody is getting married I be able to help, when somebody wants to carry something, I be able to help, when people need transport to somewhere, I be able to help.
4.Changing Your Attitude
•There is need to walk in or exercise excellency in all you do to walk in financial blessing.
•Also to walk in financial blessing, you need to have the right attitude.
•For Abraham, God asked him to live his relatives to another land
•For Israelites, it took time (40 years) for the Egyptian attitude to depart out of them
•Sometimes you might need to change your company to develop a right attitude.
•The people that you hang around with, are they helping you to develop a right attitude towards life?
•1Corinthinas 15v33, company you keep will affect your attitude and in the long run your destiny. “Do not be so deceived {and} misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt {and} deprave good manners {and} morals {and} character”
•I am not saying do not associate with people but do not associate with people to the extent that they negatively influence your attitude.
•I have seen and listened to negative people, to them nothing is good, they are always complaining!
•I normally keep quite when in the presence of such!
•Proverbs 13v20, those that you keep company with will influence your thinking and attitude whether for bad or for good.
•Some people have a negative attitude towards success, prosperity, excellence and achievement. They believe that you need not be outstanding. Just be moderate and not go too far. Be like the rest.
•So, at times you need to drop your friends or people you associate with if you are to succeed.
•Abraham had to separate with Lot.
•Some believe that being mediocre is being humble and cool.
•I believe in success, prosperity, excellence and achieving in life whether spiritually or naturally.
•I believe in doing things with the best of my ability, I do not like being associated with failure and things that are not orderly.
•In your finances, work, education, etc have the right attitude.
•Many people who are poor or who lack in life are so because of their attitude.
•Many people who do not have much have a wrong attitude towards those who are successful, they say they are proud, “bayazenzisa”. That attitude will keep you poor.
•If somebody is successful, do not hate them, ask how they are doing it. Do not be covetous; you have the chance of you succeeding just like them.
•Have the right attitude towards money, do not worship riches but riches are good if you have a right attitudes towards them.
•Have the right attitude towards giving to the church, if you think giving to the church is making pastors rich, you will not give and you will remain poor.
•Normally, the natural disabilities and impairments cannot be able to deter you from being successful than wrong attitude. There a lot of people with disabilities that are achieving great things that able bodied people.
5. SEIZE EVERY OPORTUNITY
•If we are to progress in life and achieve, we must seize or utilize every opportunity that we get
•Some opportunities that we miss or neglect may not come anymore
•In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham told the rich man that he (the rich man) lost his opportunity for salvation when he was on earth and could not get another. The rich man begged for Lazarus to go back to earth and preach to his brothers, Abraham said the brothers should use the opportunity presented by Moses and the prophets, if they fail to use it, they too will die.
•So, we need to be careful and not miss or the opportunities that God gives us, they may not come again
•Esau missed his opportunity and sold his birth right, he tried in vain to regain it again, but could not, he had lost his chance!
•Utilize every opportunity and not live to regret tomorrow
Examples Of Opportunities
1)Salvation Opportunity
•Some miss the opportunity for salvation and end up in eternal death
•You get the chance of accepting Christ, you hear the gospel but you keep procrastinating until you die in sin!
•Some accept Christ but later get caught in other silly things and lose their salvation and lose opportunity for eternal life
2)Education / Academic Opportunity
•Some lose opportunity for excelling in their education
•You have somebody taking care of you, paying for all your school needs and you play with that chance.
•When you are / were at school, did you put enough effort to study and being serious? Are you not regretting today that you lost opportunity to excel when you were at school?
•Some realize when it is late that they missed a good opportunity to excel at school but now they have no resources to correct the mistake
•Some dropped out of school when they were pregnant and could not write exams, later when things are bitter in life, they regret
3)Employment Opportunity
•Have you lost opportunity for employment?
•Some lose opportunity by being late, not adequately preparing for interviews, etc
4)Business Opportunity
•Have you lost opportunity for making money or business deal?
5)Giving Opportunity
•Some lose opportunity for giving
•Sometimes God can instruct you to give something having earmarked you for a blessing or reward, if you do not obey, you lose the blessing
6)Ministry / Service Opportunity
•Some miss the call of God for service for simple small things, you miss your destiny in serving God by disobedience
•Saul lost the opportunity to be a king by simple disobeying God’s instruction in war
•You may lose your opportunity by arrogance, some run to ministry prematurely and lose their opportunity
7)Marriage Opportunity
•Some lose the opportunity of keeping themselves virgins till marriage
•You cannot afford to lose your virginity and a testimony in marriage for sleeping for 5 minutes with a man/ woman! You can lose the opportunity for a happy good marriage just for failing to control yourself. Some lose their virginity just months, weeks or days before their marriage!
•Some miss opportunity for a good marriage life by being promiscuous!
•Some disobey God, get married to a wrong partner and die prematurely
6.CONCLUSION
•Ecclesiastes 9v10 talks of doing everything with excellence, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going”
•In the creating, God did everything good, so, whatever you do, do it good!
•Jesus said being faithful in little things opens room for promotion or greater things, Luke 16v10-12, “He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest {and} unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest {and} unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?”
•God promised to bless everything we do or the work of our hands
•Let us learn to start where we are. Do not despise the days of small beginnings, (give my own testimony/example of promotion from where I started.)
•You have a God ordained destiny / purpose, it is up to you to discover & purpose that.
•Do not pursue somebody’s purpose, seek yours
•To get to your financial blessing and or destiny, you may have to go through some situations, many fail the test and never live to enjoy the life that God has for them!
•Will you pass the test? Will you life the life God has for you? Will you utilize the potential and capacity that God gave you?
(Contemporary Version, “God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.”
MLB Genesis 9:1, “GOD BLESSED Noah and his sons and told them: Be fruitful, multiply and populate the earth”.
MLB Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly spheres through Christ,”
1.What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?
3106. makariÂzw~.
From G3107 = makaÉrioj~. To beatify, i.e. pronounce (or esteem) fortunate. Call blessed, count happy.
1293. HKÆRFbé~. From H1288 = ‚éRAbÆ~. Benediction; by implication
prosperity. Blessing, liberal, pool, present.
•But where man is in mind, to be blessed it is used in the sense of “happy” or “favored,”
•MLB Genesis 24:35, “and the LORD has richly blessed my master; he has become great. He has given him flocks, and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.”
•In the above scripture, blessings meant riches
•So, to be blessed among other things means: to be happy, prosperous, successful, healthy, rich, have enough or more than enough.
•To be blessed does not mean to be poor, sick, miserable, troubled, etc
2.How To Be A Blessing?
•KJV-R (Webster) Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: KJV-R (Webster) Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
•Contemporary Version Genesis 12v1-3, “The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others. I will bless anyone who blesses you, but I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. Everyone on earth will be blessed because of you.”
•Genesis 39v 1“The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king's [a] official in charge of the palace guard. 2-3So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner. Soon Potiphar realized that the LORD was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did. 4Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property. 5Because of Joseph, the LORD began to bless Potiphar's family and fields. 6Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.”
•Genesis 30 25After Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban, "Release me from our agreement [i] and let me return to my own country. 26You know how hard I've worked for you, so let me take my wives and children and leave." 27-28But Laban told him, "If you really are my friend, stay on, and I'll pay whatever you ask. I'm sure [j] the LORD has blessed me because of you." 29Jacob answered: You've seen how hard I've worked for you, and you know how your flocks and herds have grown under my care. 30You didn't have much before I came, but the LORD has blessed everything I have ever done for you. Now it's time for me to start looking out for my own family.
•Your employer should be blessed because of your working for them
•Your family should be blessed for having you part of them
•Your friends should be blessed for having you
•Are you a blessing to others? Do you add value to others or do you always drain others?
•Acts 20v35, “By everything I did, I showed how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, "More blessings come from giving than from receiving."
•Exercise giving, start from where you are. Serve other people. Give from the little you have. It means a great deal to somebody when you give to them and meet their need.
•Give your time
•Help others even by serving at their occasions e.g. weddings, funeral, etc
•Be resourceful as a person, contribute to the success or benefit of others, be concerned about your being of help to others more what you get from them.
•Giving somebody money for bus fare may be a great blessing to them if they are in need
•I have purposed in my heart that I will be helpful to others as long as it is my power to.
•Prov 22:9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
•Prov 19:6 Many will entreat the favor of a liberal man, and every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.
•I have been wakened up in the night, 1000, 1100, 0000 to help people with transport. Though at times it would be painful, I have done it with satisfaction knowing that I have been a blessing to somebody.
•I have given people free transport, even sinners have said to me “God bless you.”
•It is good for people to praise God because of your service to them.
•I always get satisfaction when I help and or give than when I receive from others
•I have employed or facilitated employment for a number of people, and that gives me joy.
•What is it that you have done for others? Have you been of any value to other people?
•At the same time, it has pained to see a need and fail to do something about it, see somebody in need and not have resources to help!
•My prayer and goal in life is to be resourceful enough that any need I see in people, I be able to meet.
•As an example, I desire to have different type of cars, sedans, trucks, buses, etc so that when somebody is getting married I be able to help, when somebody wants to carry something, I be able to help, when people need transport to somewhere, I be able to help.
4.Changing Your Attitude
•There is need to walk in or exercise excellency in all you do to walk in financial blessing.
•Also to walk in financial blessing, you need to have the right attitude.
•For Abraham, God asked him to live his relatives to another land
•For Israelites, it took time (40 years) for the Egyptian attitude to depart out of them
•Sometimes you might need to change your company to develop a right attitude.
•The people that you hang around with, are they helping you to develop a right attitude towards life?
•1Corinthinas 15v33, company you keep will affect your attitude and in the long run your destiny. “Do not be so deceived {and} misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt {and} deprave good manners {and} morals {and} character”
•I am not saying do not associate with people but do not associate with people to the extent that they negatively influence your attitude.
•I have seen and listened to negative people, to them nothing is good, they are always complaining!
•I normally keep quite when in the presence of such!
•Proverbs 13v20, those that you keep company with will influence your thinking and attitude whether for bad or for good.
•Some people have a negative attitude towards success, prosperity, excellence and achievement. They believe that you need not be outstanding. Just be moderate and not go too far. Be like the rest.
•So, at times you need to drop your friends or people you associate with if you are to succeed.
•Abraham had to separate with Lot.
•Some believe that being mediocre is being humble and cool.
•I believe in success, prosperity, excellence and achieving in life whether spiritually or naturally.
•I believe in doing things with the best of my ability, I do not like being associated with failure and things that are not orderly.
•In your finances, work, education, etc have the right attitude.
•Many people who are poor or who lack in life are so because of their attitude.
•Many people who do not have much have a wrong attitude towards those who are successful, they say they are proud, “bayazenzisa”. That attitude will keep you poor.
•If somebody is successful, do not hate them, ask how they are doing it. Do not be covetous; you have the chance of you succeeding just like them.
•Have the right attitude towards money, do not worship riches but riches are good if you have a right attitudes towards them.
•Have the right attitude towards giving to the church, if you think giving to the church is making pastors rich, you will not give and you will remain poor.
•Normally, the natural disabilities and impairments cannot be able to deter you from being successful than wrong attitude. There a lot of people with disabilities that are achieving great things that able bodied people.
5. SEIZE EVERY OPORTUNITY
•If we are to progress in life and achieve, we must seize or utilize every opportunity that we get
•Some opportunities that we miss or neglect may not come anymore
•In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham told the rich man that he (the rich man) lost his opportunity for salvation when he was on earth and could not get another. The rich man begged for Lazarus to go back to earth and preach to his brothers, Abraham said the brothers should use the opportunity presented by Moses and the prophets, if they fail to use it, they too will die.
•So, we need to be careful and not miss or the opportunities that God gives us, they may not come again
•Esau missed his opportunity and sold his birth right, he tried in vain to regain it again, but could not, he had lost his chance!
•Utilize every opportunity and not live to regret tomorrow
Examples Of Opportunities
1)Salvation Opportunity
•Some miss the opportunity for salvation and end up in eternal death
•You get the chance of accepting Christ, you hear the gospel but you keep procrastinating until you die in sin!
•Some accept Christ but later get caught in other silly things and lose their salvation and lose opportunity for eternal life
2)Education / Academic Opportunity
•Some lose opportunity for excelling in their education
•You have somebody taking care of you, paying for all your school needs and you play with that chance.
•When you are / were at school, did you put enough effort to study and being serious? Are you not regretting today that you lost opportunity to excel when you were at school?
•Some realize when it is late that they missed a good opportunity to excel at school but now they have no resources to correct the mistake
•Some dropped out of school when they were pregnant and could not write exams, later when things are bitter in life, they regret
3)Employment Opportunity
•Have you lost opportunity for employment?
•Some lose opportunity by being late, not adequately preparing for interviews, etc
4)Business Opportunity
•Have you lost opportunity for making money or business deal?
5)Giving Opportunity
•Some lose opportunity for giving
•Sometimes God can instruct you to give something having earmarked you for a blessing or reward, if you do not obey, you lose the blessing
6)Ministry / Service Opportunity
•Some miss the call of God for service for simple small things, you miss your destiny in serving God by disobedience
•Saul lost the opportunity to be a king by simple disobeying God’s instruction in war
•You may lose your opportunity by arrogance, some run to ministry prematurely and lose their opportunity
7)Marriage Opportunity
•Some lose the opportunity of keeping themselves virgins till marriage
•You cannot afford to lose your virginity and a testimony in marriage for sleeping for 5 minutes with a man/ woman! You can lose the opportunity for a happy good marriage just for failing to control yourself. Some lose their virginity just months, weeks or days before their marriage!
•Some miss opportunity for a good marriage life by being promiscuous!
•Some disobey God, get married to a wrong partner and die prematurely
6.CONCLUSION
•Ecclesiastes 9v10 talks of doing everything with excellence, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going”
•In the creating, God did everything good, so, whatever you do, do it good!
•Jesus said being faithful in little things opens room for promotion or greater things, Luke 16v10-12, “He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest {and} unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest {and} unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?”
•God promised to bless everything we do or the work of our hands
•Let us learn to start where we are. Do not despise the days of small beginnings, (give my own testimony/example of promotion from where I started.)
•You have a God ordained destiny / purpose, it is up to you to discover & purpose that.
•Do not pursue somebody’s purpose, seek yours
•To get to your financial blessing and or destiny, you may have to go through some situations, many fail the test and never live to enjoy the life that God has for them!
•Will you pass the test? Will you life the life God has for you? Will you utilize the potential and capacity that God gave you?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Financial Blessing Part1
FINANCIAL BLESSING
Young's Literal Genesis 1:28, “And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.”
(Contemporary Version, “God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.”
MLB Genesis 9:1, “GOD BLESSED Noah and his sons and told them: Be fruitful, multiply and populate the earth”.
MLB Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly spheres through Christ,”
1.What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?
3106. makariÂzw~.
From G3107 = makaÉrioj~. To beatify, i.e. pronounce (or esteem) fortunate. Call blessed, count happy.
1293. HKÆRFbé~. From H1288 = ‚éRAbÆ~. Benediction; by implication
prosperity. Blessing, liberal, pool, present.
•But where man is in mind, to be blessed it is used in the sense of “happy” or “favored,”
•MLB Genesis 24:35, “and the LORD has richly blessed my master; he has become great. He has given him flocks, and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.”
•In the above scripture, blessings meant riches
MLB Proverbs 10:22, “It is the blessing of the LORD that brings riches and toiling will add nothing to it.”
Contemporary English Version, “When the LORD blesses you with riches, you have nothing to regret”
•So, to be blessed among other things means: to be happy, prosperous, successful, healthy, rich, have enough or more than enough.
•To be blessed does not mean to be poor, sick, miserable, troubled, etc
2.How Do You Walk In The Blessing?
•Isaiah 1v19, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;”
•MLB Proverbs 22:9, “He whose eye is generous will be blessed, for he gives food to the poor.”
3.BALANCE NEDEED ON SOWING & REAPING
•We have had extremes when it comes to the issue of sowing & reaping and biblical giving
•You may also read Kenneth E. Hagin’s book “The Midas Touch”, it offer a more balanced scriptural approach to biblical prosperity & monetary issues.
•There are scriptures that have been abused but which primarily do not talk about money, like the parable of the sower.
•The principle of 30, 60 & 100 fold return have been also pulled out of context
•The naming of seeds also need to be balanced and restricted to scripture
•There is need have biblical foundation to our doctrine and not build “doctrines” on experiences and once off convictions
•Proverbs 22v16
•We need to check our motives & attitudes when giving
•Our giving should not only be motivated by what we get but desire to bless others or meet a need.
Young's Literal Genesis 1:28, “And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.”
(Contemporary Version, “God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.”
MLB Genesis 9:1, “GOD BLESSED Noah and his sons and told them: Be fruitful, multiply and populate the earth”.
MLB Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly spheres through Christ,”
1.What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?
3106. makariÂzw~.
From G3107 = makaÉrioj~. To beatify, i.e. pronounce (or esteem) fortunate. Call blessed, count happy.
1293. HKÆRFbé~. From H1288 = ‚éRAbÆ~. Benediction; by implication
prosperity. Blessing, liberal, pool, present.
•But where man is in mind, to be blessed it is used in the sense of “happy” or “favored,”
•MLB Genesis 24:35, “and the LORD has richly blessed my master; he has become great. He has given him flocks, and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.”
•In the above scripture, blessings meant riches
MLB Proverbs 10:22, “It is the blessing of the LORD that brings riches and toiling will add nothing to it.”
Contemporary English Version, “When the LORD blesses you with riches, you have nothing to regret”
•So, to be blessed among other things means: to be happy, prosperous, successful, healthy, rich, have enough or more than enough.
•To be blessed does not mean to be poor, sick, miserable, troubled, etc
2.How Do You Walk In The Blessing?
•Isaiah 1v19, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;”
•MLB Proverbs 22:9, “He whose eye is generous will be blessed, for he gives food to the poor.”
3.BALANCE NEDEED ON SOWING & REAPING
•We have had extremes when it comes to the issue of sowing & reaping and biblical giving
•You may also read Kenneth E. Hagin’s book “The Midas Touch”, it offer a more balanced scriptural approach to biblical prosperity & monetary issues.
•There are scriptures that have been abused but which primarily do not talk about money, like the parable of the sower.
•The principle of 30, 60 & 100 fold return have been also pulled out of context
•The naming of seeds also need to be balanced and restricted to scripture
•There is need have biblical foundation to our doctrine and not build “doctrines” on experiences and once off convictions
•Proverbs 22v16
•We need to check our motives & attitudes when giving
•Our giving should not only be motivated by what we get but desire to bless others or meet a need.
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Beatitudes
TEXT
Matt 5:1-12
Matt 7:21- 27
INTRODUCTION
•Jesus said if we hear His Word and it, we are wise
•In the sermon on the mount, Jesus was teaching us the way to live as Christians, we need to live like He said
•Wisdom and Christianity is found in practicing the Word, James says we should not be hears only but doers of the Word.
•There are many things that Jesus talk in the collections of Matthew chapter 5-7, that cover every area of our daily Christian walk.
•This summary of Jesus’ Teachings or Words from Matthew 5v1-13 mainly address the Kingdom of heaven and specifically: The subjects (candidates) of the kingdom and qualities of character to happiness
•It is the responsibility of every Christian to read / study Jesus’ teachings and implement them, I will today talk about the beatitudes but will not talk in detail about all of them, will pick some in detail.
•But before I introduce the beatitudes, I want to talk briefly about a few issues that hinder us from growing in our Christian walk and in turn hinder us from practicing the Word. I extracted this from Kenneth E. Hagin’s book “Five Hindrances To Growth In Grace”, he also got it from a certain preacher in the beginning of the 20th century.
THINGS TO WATCH IF WE ARE TO GROW & PRACTICE THE WORD
It is God’s desire that we all growth. But not everybody grows up. There are a lot of things that hinder spiritual growth but we will deal with five here.
1.Lightness. We are living in the world of lightness. Most things are made lightly – not to last. Furnisher for instance, you hardly find furnisher that’s purely wood, most of it is now plastic. Even in the church we have allowed the spirit of lightness.
a) Lightness in music – most of our (so called “gospel”) songs or music is all light. It’s meant to affect our hands and feet but does not help our spiritual man. It does not add value to our spirituality. We need songs that are from the Word, songs that will feed our spiritual man. We need songs that will edify us.
b) Lightness in reading material – most of the material we read does not edify. Most of the staff we read is very light to edify us, it’s just meant to trickle our ears. Be careful about what you read. Not every that goes under the name gospel is gospel. Well, there are some naughty Christians who spend their time reading worldly, suggestive material and expect to grow. That’s as good as poisoning yourself! You cannot spend time reading pornography and all that junk and expect to grow.
2.Looseness.
a)Looseness in talking Matthew 12v33-37, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit (will be also) good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit (will be also) corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” These words of our Lord are very sobering. He says every loose or idle word people speak will have to be accounted for. It is our words that justifieth or condemneth us, both in this life and in the judgement day! I think Jesus meant exactly what He said when He said “…That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” We would rather be careful and mind our tongues or words. You see, what you speak is what you think or what is in your heart, when you are full of filthiness, that is what you will speak – filthiness! When you are full of the Word of God, that is what you will speak. James in his letter in chapter 2v12 echoes almost the same statement, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” When we speak, we should not forget that there is judgement.
b)Looseness in thinking. Rom 13:14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts). 1 Cor 14:20 Brethren, do not be children [immature] in your thinking; continue to be babes in [matters of] evil, but in your minds be mature [men]. Phil 4:8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence {and} is honourable {and} seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely {and} lovable, whatever is kind {and} winsome {and} gracious, if there is any virtue {and} excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on {and} weigh {and} take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, {even} the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
c) Looseness in habits. 1 Cor 9:27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel {and} things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]. Acts 24:16 Therefore I always exercise {and} discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavouring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offence toward God and toward men. 2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm {and} well-balanced mind {and} discipline {and} self-control.
d) Looseness in life. 1Peter 1v15-16, “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy.” The Word does not say, “Be ye holy in part or some of your conversation.” No! It says be ye holy in all manner of your conversation. We need to pursue holiness in all our dealings and way of life. People, especially young people need to be careful especially when it comes to the opposite sex and marriage. People get in and out of relationships. In the world, people change “girl/boy” friends like clothes. When the person does not seem to satisfy them, they leave for the next, it must not be like that in the church.
3.Laziness. Matt 25:26 But his master answered him, You wicked {and} lazy {and} idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed? Titus 1:12 One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle {and} lazy gluttons. If you are lazy in the natural, you will also be lazy to grow in spiritual things. To grow spiritually you need to be diligent. Acts 20:35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive. Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please {and} be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly {and} diligently seek Him [out].
4.Locquadiness. This word means talkativeness. You cannot be a person given to too much talking and expect to grow spiritually. James 4v11, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” We do not need to speak evil one of another and judge one another. If there is nothing good to talk about in a brother, then shut up! 1Thessalonians 4v11, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” Many a times people spend time talking about other people’s businesses, criticising this or that and you wonder when will they attend to their own things! They like complaining and criticising other people’s businesses but they are not doing anything themselves. Learn to mind your own business, if you do not have any to attend to then sleep and not spoil other people’s! Study to be quiet! 1Timothy 5v13, “And withal they learn to idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not.” Jude 8-10, “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." We should be careful not to speak things that we ought not. Jude says, sometimes people speak evil of things that they don’t even know about. It is said that Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil didn’t speak many things against the devil, he just, “The Lord rebuke thee Satan.” Sometimes we bail the devil out by our words! Do not speak a lot of words against the devil just speak the Word. James 1v19, “Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” You see, many times people practice this scripture in reverse order, they are slow to hear and swift to speak! Somebody said, “The reason we have two ears and one mouth is that we should hear twice and speak once.” All this means is that our ratio of speaking should be half our ratio of listening. We should do more listening than talking. Proverbs 18v13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” The simple translation of this scripture will be “He that answers or responds to a matter or issue before he hears it is a fool.” I wonder how many fools we have!
5.Like Other People. For you to grow you need to be the person God called you to be. Do not try to be somebody else no matter how anointed the person might be. Be yourself. Do not do things just because you saw somebody doing it.
THE BEATITUDES
a)POOR (in spirit), the word translated poor is not the word for poor as in lacking or without resources, but it denotes being “humble”. In the Old Testament another word for poor meant to “tremble / shake”.
Is 66:2 For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look {and} have regard: he who is humble and of a broken {or} wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word {and} reveres My commands.
Is 66:5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: Your brethren who hate you, who cast you out for My name's sake, have said, Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy! But it is they who shall be put to shame.
•So, there is a difference between being poor as lacking and being humble. You can be poor with nothing and yet proud and again, one can be rich materially and yet humble!
•The poor in spirit in this sense are those who are humble, tremble and shake at or to obey God’s Word (have reverence for God & His Word), those that know they are nothing without God, those who know they are insufficient without Christ.
•There will be many poor (those lacking resources) people in hell, Jesus could not have meant physical poverty or else that would have meant all poor people no matter how the live will be qualified for the kingdom of heaven!
b)MEEK / Gentle (patient & long suffering), it means to be tender or soft hearted. Moses is an example given in the bible of somebody who was meek. Numbers 12, he was accused by his siblings but he did not argue or answer back, he kept his cool.
c)KIND / merciful (caring, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful). This signifies considering somebody’s needs and doing something to meet them. It goes beyond being sympathetic.
•Being merciful also means forbearing, not punishing somebody when they deserve it
•James 2 v12-13, God was merciful to us, we deserved to be judged but He showed us mercy, we also are to show mercy to others. The bible says God did not deal with us according as our sins deserved, we ought to do the same to others!
Matt 5:1-12
Matt 7:21- 27
INTRODUCTION
•Jesus said if we hear His Word and it, we are wise
•In the sermon on the mount, Jesus was teaching us the way to live as Christians, we need to live like He said
•Wisdom and Christianity is found in practicing the Word, James says we should not be hears only but doers of the Word.
•There are many things that Jesus talk in the collections of Matthew chapter 5-7, that cover every area of our daily Christian walk.
•This summary of Jesus’ Teachings or Words from Matthew 5v1-13 mainly address the Kingdom of heaven and specifically: The subjects (candidates) of the kingdom and qualities of character to happiness
•It is the responsibility of every Christian to read / study Jesus’ teachings and implement them, I will today talk about the beatitudes but will not talk in detail about all of them, will pick some in detail.
•But before I introduce the beatitudes, I want to talk briefly about a few issues that hinder us from growing in our Christian walk and in turn hinder us from practicing the Word. I extracted this from Kenneth E. Hagin’s book “Five Hindrances To Growth In Grace”, he also got it from a certain preacher in the beginning of the 20th century.
THINGS TO WATCH IF WE ARE TO GROW & PRACTICE THE WORD
It is God’s desire that we all growth. But not everybody grows up. There are a lot of things that hinder spiritual growth but we will deal with five here.
1.Lightness. We are living in the world of lightness. Most things are made lightly – not to last. Furnisher for instance, you hardly find furnisher that’s purely wood, most of it is now plastic. Even in the church we have allowed the spirit of lightness.
a) Lightness in music – most of our (so called “gospel”) songs or music is all light. It’s meant to affect our hands and feet but does not help our spiritual man. It does not add value to our spirituality. We need songs that are from the Word, songs that will feed our spiritual man. We need songs that will edify us.
b) Lightness in reading material – most of the material we read does not edify. Most of the staff we read is very light to edify us, it’s just meant to trickle our ears. Be careful about what you read. Not every that goes under the name gospel is gospel. Well, there are some naughty Christians who spend their time reading worldly, suggestive material and expect to grow. That’s as good as poisoning yourself! You cannot spend time reading pornography and all that junk and expect to grow.
2.Looseness.
a)Looseness in talking Matthew 12v33-37, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit (will be also) good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit (will be also) corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” These words of our Lord are very sobering. He says every loose or idle word people speak will have to be accounted for. It is our words that justifieth or condemneth us, both in this life and in the judgement day! I think Jesus meant exactly what He said when He said “…That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” We would rather be careful and mind our tongues or words. You see, what you speak is what you think or what is in your heart, when you are full of filthiness, that is what you will speak – filthiness! When you are full of the Word of God, that is what you will speak. James in his letter in chapter 2v12 echoes almost the same statement, “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” When we speak, we should not forget that there is judgement.
b)Looseness in thinking. Rom 13:14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts). 1 Cor 14:20 Brethren, do not be children [immature] in your thinking; continue to be babes in [matters of] evil, but in your minds be mature [men]. Phil 4:8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence {and} is honourable {and} seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely {and} lovable, whatever is kind {and} winsome {and} gracious, if there is any virtue {and} excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on {and} weigh {and} take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, {even} the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
c) Looseness in habits. 1 Cor 9:27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel {and} things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]. Acts 24:16 Therefore I always exercise {and} discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavouring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offence toward God and toward men. 2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm {and} well-balanced mind {and} discipline {and} self-control.
d) Looseness in life. 1Peter 1v15-16, “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy.” The Word does not say, “Be ye holy in part or some of your conversation.” No! It says be ye holy in all manner of your conversation. We need to pursue holiness in all our dealings and way of life. People, especially young people need to be careful especially when it comes to the opposite sex and marriage. People get in and out of relationships. In the world, people change “girl/boy” friends like clothes. When the person does not seem to satisfy them, they leave for the next, it must not be like that in the church.
3.Laziness. Matt 25:26 But his master answered him, You wicked {and} lazy {and} idle servant! Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather [grain] where I have not winnowed? Titus 1:12 One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle {and} lazy gluttons. If you are lazy in the natural, you will also be lazy to grow in spiritual things. To grow spiritually you need to be diligent. Acts 20:35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive. Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please {and} be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly {and} diligently seek Him [out].
4.Locquadiness. This word means talkativeness. You cannot be a person given to too much talking and expect to grow spiritually. James 4v11, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” We do not need to speak evil one of another and judge one another. If there is nothing good to talk about in a brother, then shut up! 1Thessalonians 4v11, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” Many a times people spend time talking about other people’s businesses, criticising this or that and you wonder when will they attend to their own things! They like complaining and criticising other people’s businesses but they are not doing anything themselves. Learn to mind your own business, if you do not have any to attend to then sleep and not spoil other people’s! Study to be quiet! 1Timothy 5v13, “And withal they learn to idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not.” Jude 8-10, “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." We should be careful not to speak things that we ought not. Jude says, sometimes people speak evil of things that they don’t even know about. It is said that Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil didn’t speak many things against the devil, he just, “The Lord rebuke thee Satan.” Sometimes we bail the devil out by our words! Do not speak a lot of words against the devil just speak the Word. James 1v19, “Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” You see, many times people practice this scripture in reverse order, they are slow to hear and swift to speak! Somebody said, “The reason we have two ears and one mouth is that we should hear twice and speak once.” All this means is that our ratio of speaking should be half our ratio of listening. We should do more listening than talking. Proverbs 18v13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” The simple translation of this scripture will be “He that answers or responds to a matter or issue before he hears it is a fool.” I wonder how many fools we have!
5.Like Other People. For you to grow you need to be the person God called you to be. Do not try to be somebody else no matter how anointed the person might be. Be yourself. Do not do things just because you saw somebody doing it.
THE BEATITUDES
a)POOR (in spirit), the word translated poor is not the word for poor as in lacking or without resources, but it denotes being “humble”. In the Old Testament another word for poor meant to “tremble / shake”.
Is 66:2 For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look {and} have regard: he who is humble and of a broken {or} wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word {and} reveres My commands.
Is 66:5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: Your brethren who hate you, who cast you out for My name's sake, have said, Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy! But it is they who shall be put to shame.
•So, there is a difference between being poor as lacking and being humble. You can be poor with nothing and yet proud and again, one can be rich materially and yet humble!
•The poor in spirit in this sense are those who are humble, tremble and shake at or to obey God’s Word (have reverence for God & His Word), those that know they are nothing without God, those who know they are insufficient without Christ.
•There will be many poor (those lacking resources) people in hell, Jesus could not have meant physical poverty or else that would have meant all poor people no matter how the live will be qualified for the kingdom of heaven!
b)MEEK / Gentle (patient & long suffering), it means to be tender or soft hearted. Moses is an example given in the bible of somebody who was meek. Numbers 12, he was accused by his siblings but he did not argue or answer back, he kept his cool.
c)KIND / merciful (caring, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful). This signifies considering somebody’s needs and doing something to meet them. It goes beyond being sympathetic.
•Being merciful also means forbearing, not punishing somebody when they deserve it
•James 2 v12-13, God was merciful to us, we deserved to be judged but He showed us mercy, we also are to show mercy to others. The bible says God did not deal with us according as our sins deserved, we ought to do the same to others!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Time Is Short
“… the evil in this world will increase from what it is now. There will be so much evil that at the end the righteous will be “squeezed” out of the world (rapture). If you cannot stand the current evil what will you do when they (the wicked) will: force you to have sex with them, they slaughter your children (family & yourselves), come will the seal of the beast? He that has an ear let them hear what the Spirit is saying for the time is short and Jesus is coming very soon…”
This is a paraphrase of what I dreamt myself preaching or saying in the morning of 180809. I just decided to write it down not sure whether it’s a mere dream or prophesy.
This is a paraphrase of what I dreamt myself preaching or saying in the morning of 180809. I just decided to write it down not sure whether it’s a mere dream or prophesy.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Financial Freedom Part 2
TEXT
Eccl 10:7 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth.
Gal 4:7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, {through Christ.}
INTRODUCTION
Last week we introduced the topic “Financial Freedom”
I need feedback or reminder from the floor of the things that we talked about
I also talked in passing about the richest man in the world as Warren Buffet, I am sorry I was behind, Bill Gates has now regained his number one sport again as of March 09.
Another fact to not is that our economy is on the verge of getting alright, we are getting “formally”, the informal sector may not work as it used to.
There is need to position ourselves for the kick off in the economy. Those that had left formal employment and are not gainfully employed should do so before the market gets flooded.
a)I also want us to recap about spending: Spending
You must be careful and plan your spending:
-When spending or buying, consider what you buy, do not just buy anything, spend money on quality.
-Learn to be sales resistant, avoid impulse buying. Beware of advertisements and sales people!
-Pay your bills promptly
-Learn to be content, Philippians 4v11-13, Hebrews 13v6
-Do not be covetous, Exodus 20v17, Luke 12v15.
-Live a simple life, 1Thessalonians 4v11-12
-Live within your means, spending what you do not have is not faith
-Do not be extravagant (John 6v12)
-Balance your spending, do not spend too much on pleasure and at the same time learn to enjoy what God gives you. Proverbs 21v17, Ecclesiastes 5v18, 10v16-17
-Plan your spending, budget
1. FINANCIAL FREEDOM
b)Debts
Avoid debt where possible. Debt is not sin, but the bible discourages it, debt is not God’s best for your life. When you are now controlled by debt then there is a problem.(Proverbs 22v7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.)
To come out of debt:
-Pray about your debt and ask for God’s help and or solution
-List all your debts and or financial obligations
-Establish a repayment plan
-Avoid accumulating more or new debts
-Use a budget for your spending
-Avoid debt or borrowing for consumables, when need be, you can borrow for assets or investments as long as cost of borrowing is less than the asset or investment.
-Be yourself and do not be pressured to be what you are not or what other / your friends expect.
-Consider ways of getting extra income (if it means doing extra projects, do it, do not be shy to do even base projects)
c)Saving &/ Investing
-Save money or resources for tomorrow, Genesis 41, Proverbs 6v6-8.
-Zimbabwe is a good place to invest now when things are under-priced, when things normalize and the economy opens up, it will be difficult.
-In the parable of talents, it is clear that as a principle (implied) God expects us to invest and multiply whatever resource He gives us be it spiritual or natural.
-Always remember that there is a tomorrow. At times you might need to forgo instant gratification for future or long term investing or benefit.
2. RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MONEY
(a) Acknowledge that God is the giver or source of wealth. Prov 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Deut 8:10-18, “When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for all the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His precepts, and His statutes which I command you today, Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses and live in them, And when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, Then your [minds and] hearts be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, Who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, but Who brought you forth water out of the flinty rock, Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
(b) Share and give as God blesses you. Prov 3:28, “Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it--when you have it with you.” Prov 11:24-25 “There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting {or} what is justly due, but it results only in want. The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered.”
(c) Do not let money rule you or be your god. Prov 11:28, “He who leans on, trusts in, {and} is confident in his riches shall fall, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like a green bough.”
(d) Do not waste money. Prov 21:17, “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” Prov 21:20, “There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident {and} foolish man swallows it up {and} wastes it.”
(e) Do not get money in corrupt/wrong means. Prov 10:2, “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) delivers from death.” Prov 11:4, “Riches provide no security in any day of wrath {and} judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.” Prov 13:11, “Wealth [not earned but] won in haste {or} unjustly {or} from the production of things for vain {or} detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches]”.
(f) Guard against quick or instant riches. Sometimes you need to be patient to grow in your finances.
OTHER ARRERS TO WORK ON FOR FINANCIAL PROSPERITY
·There are other areas of life that we need to pay attention to if we are to have financial prosperity
1.Academic excellence
2.Career planning
3.Hard working and faithfulness
4.Investments (short term investments e.g. stock market, buying and selling, informal trading)
5.Own business
·Desire to prosper & succeed financially.
·Work & press towards prosperity
·Have a clear vision and plan for your financial status
·Have a right & positive attitude towards financial prosperity
·Identify divine connections, at times, God may send other people in your way to help you connect to your financial prosperity.
Eccl 10:7 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on the earth.
Gal 4:7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, {through Christ.}
INTRODUCTION
Last week we introduced the topic “Financial Freedom”
I need feedback or reminder from the floor of the things that we talked about
I also talked in passing about the richest man in the world as Warren Buffet, I am sorry I was behind, Bill Gates has now regained his number one sport again as of March 09.
Another fact to not is that our economy is on the verge of getting alright, we are getting “formally”, the informal sector may not work as it used to.
There is need to position ourselves for the kick off in the economy. Those that had left formal employment and are not gainfully employed should do so before the market gets flooded.
a)I also want us to recap about spending: Spending
You must be careful and plan your spending:
-When spending or buying, consider what you buy, do not just buy anything, spend money on quality.
-Learn to be sales resistant, avoid impulse buying. Beware of advertisements and sales people!
-Pay your bills promptly
-Learn to be content, Philippians 4v11-13, Hebrews 13v6
-Do not be covetous, Exodus 20v17, Luke 12v15.
-Live a simple life, 1Thessalonians 4v11-12
-Live within your means, spending what you do not have is not faith
-Do not be extravagant (John 6v12)
-Balance your spending, do not spend too much on pleasure and at the same time learn to enjoy what God gives you. Proverbs 21v17, Ecclesiastes 5v18, 10v16-17
-Plan your spending, budget
1. FINANCIAL FREEDOM
b)Debts
Avoid debt where possible. Debt is not sin, but the bible discourages it, debt is not God’s best for your life. When you are now controlled by debt then there is a problem.(Proverbs 22v7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.)
To come out of debt:
-Pray about your debt and ask for God’s help and or solution
-List all your debts and or financial obligations
-Establish a repayment plan
-Avoid accumulating more or new debts
-Use a budget for your spending
-Avoid debt or borrowing for consumables, when need be, you can borrow for assets or investments as long as cost of borrowing is less than the asset or investment.
-Be yourself and do not be pressured to be what you are not or what other / your friends expect.
-Consider ways of getting extra income (if it means doing extra projects, do it, do not be shy to do even base projects)
c)Saving &/ Investing
-Save money or resources for tomorrow, Genesis 41, Proverbs 6v6-8.
-Zimbabwe is a good place to invest now when things are under-priced, when things normalize and the economy opens up, it will be difficult.
-In the parable of talents, it is clear that as a principle (implied) God expects us to invest and multiply whatever resource He gives us be it spiritual or natural.
-Always remember that there is a tomorrow. At times you might need to forgo instant gratification for future or long term investing or benefit.
2. RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MONEY
(a) Acknowledge that God is the giver or source of wealth. Prov 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Deut 8:10-18, “When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for all the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His precepts, and His statutes which I command you today, Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses and live in them, And when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, Then your [minds and] hearts be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, Who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, but Who brought you forth water out of the flinty rock, Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
(b) Share and give as God blesses you. Prov 3:28, “Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it--when you have it with you.” Prov 11:24-25 “There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting {or} what is justly due, but it results only in want. The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered.”
(c) Do not let money rule you or be your god. Prov 11:28, “He who leans on, trusts in, {and} is confident in his riches shall fall, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like a green bough.”
(d) Do not waste money. Prov 21:17, “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” Prov 21:20, “There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident {and} foolish man swallows it up {and} wastes it.”
(e) Do not get money in corrupt/wrong means. Prov 10:2, “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) delivers from death.” Prov 11:4, “Riches provide no security in any day of wrath {and} judgment, but righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) delivers from death.” Prov 13:11, “Wealth [not earned but] won in haste {or} unjustly {or} from the production of things for vain {or} detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches]”.
(f) Guard against quick or instant riches. Sometimes you need to be patient to grow in your finances.
OTHER ARRERS TO WORK ON FOR FINANCIAL PROSPERITY
·There are other areas of life that we need to pay attention to if we are to have financial prosperity
1.Academic excellence
2.Career planning
3.Hard working and faithfulness
4.Investments (short term investments e.g. stock market, buying and selling, informal trading)
5.Own business
·Desire to prosper & succeed financially.
·Work & press towards prosperity
·Have a clear vision and plan for your financial status
·Have a right & positive attitude towards financial prosperity
·Identify divine connections, at times, God may send other people in your way to help you connect to your financial prosperity.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Financial Freedom Part1
PROTOCOL
I would like to acknowledge our senior pastor Rev A. Ndlovu, Rev M. Ndlovu, Pastor G Ncube & Pastor Zakhe
It is a great pleasure for me to be part of this team and work with them.
I was want to appreciate you all for coming and being part of this service
I would also want to acknowledge my wife and family for their support
TEXT
Ecclesiastes 9v13-18
Eccl 9:13 This [illustration of] wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
Eccl 9:14 There was a little city with few men in it. And a great king came against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it.
Eccl 9:15 But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.
Eccl 9:16 But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heeded.
Eccl 9:17 The words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the shouts of him who rules among fools.
Eccl 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
INTRODUCTION
Last year in August I introduced a topic “Back to basics” and never followed it up, I will, God permitting, some other time
Today I want to teach a simple topic and simple principles from the Word
Many a times people lose out and fail in life by failing to do simple small things right
Greatness is achieved through doing and paying attention to simple basic and often neglected principles
Innscor Africa (the company I am currently working for as an Accountant) is one of the biggest in Zimbabwe; it is actually the 2nd biggest after Delta in Market Capitalization, as of 030609.
Having worked for Innscor for the past 10 years, I have come to realize that what makes it great and successful is doing simple basic principles which many other corporations neglect and think they are trivial
It is simple business analysis where you check your sales, number of customers, prices & other statistics on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly & yearly basis.
Each business unit, division, department or shop is analyzed thoroughly
You compare and analyze your business against same day prior month, same month last year, same quarter prior year, etc.
You need to pay attention to detail, manage controls, check your costs, etc
The above and other simple basic principles and procedures have contributed immensely in making Innscor what it is today
In your life and particularly in your Christian walk, it is the simple small things that will make you and help you to grow.
It is not seeing visions, doing miracles, etc that make you great!
It is the simple small things, reading the word, prayer, walking in love, being obedient, holiness, etc!
Today I want to talk about a simple topic “Financial Freedom” since this month has been dedicated to special giving, (Isivuno).
Freedom means, “liberty, autonomy, lack of restrictions, self-determination, independence, choice, free will, sovereignty,”
Many people that are financial successful follow the simple financial principles.
The other day I was talking with my F.D. and he said, “When you have little resources you are not strict about how you spend, but when you get more, you want to account for every cent!”
That is very too, people with less, many a times do not care about how they handle money, just like people with more are the ones who buy wisely and a lot of saving & investing.
AmaNdebele athi, “Imali iya emalini”, (when you have money, it attracts more money).
Also we need to come out of the “old Zimbabwe” school of thought. Things were cheap, you could make money anywhere, the value of money was low. Now we are using real money, our spending and attitude towards use and value of money has to change!
FINANCES
A lot has been said about money, finances and resources in the world and in the church
Many of the things said are right, some wrong and some are partly right and partly wrong
If we are to succeed in our Christian walk, we need to have the right knowledge, perception and understanding about financial issues
The bible says “ignorance about something leads to death or casting off restraint.
We need to have clear understanding about how God in the Word wants us to handle financial issues.
·We do not teach that righteousness is being rich or that being poor is evil (same as we do not teach that poverty is humility), but it goes without argument that when you have money or resources many a times your voice is heard in this world that we are living in.
·People hardly listen to a poor man. As you your financial status or position may determine the extent to which those you lead will listen to or follow you. Job says when he still had his riches, when he stood up in a meeting; people kept quite and gave him attention. After he lost his resources, even his friends either deserted or mocked him. After his resources or riches were restored, they all came to him again and gave him gifts! Job 29v1-25, 42v10-11.
·We cannot deny the fact that your financial position can either strengthen or lighten your voice.
·At the same time, we should not go to the other extreme and put human value on material position. Jesus said that human value is not determined by the things you posses, Luke 12v15, Mark 8v36.
·The bible talks about God giving us the power or ability to be wealth, Deuteronomy 8v18
·The bible also says God teaches us to profit, Isaiah 48v17
1. FINANCIAL FREEDOM
·There is something called financial freedom where what you do is not limited by money or resources but by your decision and or what God says.
·Very few people have attained that level especially in church.
·Many a times Christians shun biblical financial principles and pretend as if money does not matter
·Those that do so, seek money privately or will like to borrow and are many times covetous
a)Giving
The bible teaches basically at least 3 ways to give:
-Tithing and offerings
-Giving to the poor and or needy
-Giving to other believers
·You should be systematic and disciplined in their giving. Whilst we believe in spontaneous giving where the Holy Spirit may lead one to give, we should not always way for “spontaneous” promptings to give.
·You should live a life style of giving as instructed by the Word
b)Receiving
-Creative resourcefulness or investing, Prov 31v13-19, You need to be diligent in working to receive income
-Diligent labor, Prov 12v11, 14v23, Do your own projects
-Answered prayer, Philippians 4v6, trust God to meet your needs
-Reaping from your faithful giving, Galatians 6v9-10
c)Spending
You must be careful and plan your spending:
-When spending or buying, consider what you buy, do not just buy anything, spend money on quality.
-Learn to be sales resistant, avoid impulse buying. Beware of advertisements and sales people!
-Pay your bills promptly
-Learn to be content, Philippians 4v11-13, Hebrews 13v6
-Do not be covetous, Exodus 20v17, Luke 12v15.
-Live a simple life, 1Thessalonians 4v11-12
-Live within your means, spending what you do not have is not faith
-Do not be extravagant (John 6v12)
-Balance your spending, do not spend too much on pleasure and at the same time learn to enjoy what God gives you. Proverbs 21v17, Ecclesiastes 5v18, 10v16-17
-Plan your spending, budget
To be continued next Sunday….
I would like to acknowledge our senior pastor Rev A. Ndlovu, Rev M. Ndlovu, Pastor G Ncube & Pastor Zakhe
It is a great pleasure for me to be part of this team and work with them.
I was want to appreciate you all for coming and being part of this service
I would also want to acknowledge my wife and family for their support
TEXT
Ecclesiastes 9v13-18
Eccl 9:13 This [illustration of] wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
Eccl 9:14 There was a little city with few men in it. And a great king came against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it.
Eccl 9:15 But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no man [seriously] remembered that poor man.
Eccl 9:16 But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heeded.
Eccl 9:17 The words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the shouts of him who rules among fools.
Eccl 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
INTRODUCTION
Last year in August I introduced a topic “Back to basics” and never followed it up, I will, God permitting, some other time
Today I want to teach a simple topic and simple principles from the Word
Many a times people lose out and fail in life by failing to do simple small things right
Greatness is achieved through doing and paying attention to simple basic and often neglected principles
Innscor Africa (the company I am currently working for as an Accountant) is one of the biggest in Zimbabwe; it is actually the 2nd biggest after Delta in Market Capitalization, as of 030609.
Having worked for Innscor for the past 10 years, I have come to realize that what makes it great and successful is doing simple basic principles which many other corporations neglect and think they are trivial
It is simple business analysis where you check your sales, number of customers, prices & other statistics on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly & yearly basis.
Each business unit, division, department or shop is analyzed thoroughly
You compare and analyze your business against same day prior month, same month last year, same quarter prior year, etc.
You need to pay attention to detail, manage controls, check your costs, etc
The above and other simple basic principles and procedures have contributed immensely in making Innscor what it is today
In your life and particularly in your Christian walk, it is the simple small things that will make you and help you to grow.
It is not seeing visions, doing miracles, etc that make you great!
It is the simple small things, reading the word, prayer, walking in love, being obedient, holiness, etc!
Today I want to talk about a simple topic “Financial Freedom” since this month has been dedicated to special giving, (Isivuno).
Freedom means, “liberty, autonomy, lack of restrictions, self-determination, independence, choice, free will, sovereignty,”
Many people that are financial successful follow the simple financial principles.
The other day I was talking with my F.D. and he said, “When you have little resources you are not strict about how you spend, but when you get more, you want to account for every cent!”
That is very too, people with less, many a times do not care about how they handle money, just like people with more are the ones who buy wisely and a lot of saving & investing.
AmaNdebele athi, “Imali iya emalini”, (when you have money, it attracts more money).
Also we need to come out of the “old Zimbabwe” school of thought. Things were cheap, you could make money anywhere, the value of money was low. Now we are using real money, our spending and attitude towards use and value of money has to change!
FINANCES
A lot has been said about money, finances and resources in the world and in the church
Many of the things said are right, some wrong and some are partly right and partly wrong
If we are to succeed in our Christian walk, we need to have the right knowledge, perception and understanding about financial issues
The bible says “ignorance about something leads to death or casting off restraint.
We need to have clear understanding about how God in the Word wants us to handle financial issues.
·We do not teach that righteousness is being rich or that being poor is evil (same as we do not teach that poverty is humility), but it goes without argument that when you have money or resources many a times your voice is heard in this world that we are living in.
·People hardly listen to a poor man. As you your financial status or position may determine the extent to which those you lead will listen to or follow you. Job says when he still had his riches, when he stood up in a meeting; people kept quite and gave him attention. After he lost his resources, even his friends either deserted or mocked him. After his resources or riches were restored, they all came to him again and gave him gifts! Job 29v1-25, 42v10-11.
·We cannot deny the fact that your financial position can either strengthen or lighten your voice.
·At the same time, we should not go to the other extreme and put human value on material position. Jesus said that human value is not determined by the things you posses, Luke 12v15, Mark 8v36.
·The bible talks about God giving us the power or ability to be wealth, Deuteronomy 8v18
·The bible also says God teaches us to profit, Isaiah 48v17
1. FINANCIAL FREEDOM
·There is something called financial freedom where what you do is not limited by money or resources but by your decision and or what God says.
·Very few people have attained that level especially in church.
·Many a times Christians shun biblical financial principles and pretend as if money does not matter
·Those that do so, seek money privately or will like to borrow and are many times covetous
a)Giving
The bible teaches basically at least 3 ways to give:
-Tithing and offerings
-Giving to the poor and or needy
-Giving to other believers
·You should be systematic and disciplined in their giving. Whilst we believe in spontaneous giving where the Holy Spirit may lead one to give, we should not always way for “spontaneous” promptings to give.
·You should live a life style of giving as instructed by the Word
b)Receiving
-Creative resourcefulness or investing, Prov 31v13-19, You need to be diligent in working to receive income
-Diligent labor, Prov 12v11, 14v23, Do your own projects
-Answered prayer, Philippians 4v6, trust God to meet your needs
-Reaping from your faithful giving, Galatians 6v9-10
c)Spending
You must be careful and plan your spending:
-When spending or buying, consider what you buy, do not just buy anything, spend money on quality.
-Learn to be sales resistant, avoid impulse buying. Beware of advertisements and sales people!
-Pay your bills promptly
-Learn to be content, Philippians 4v11-13, Hebrews 13v6
-Do not be covetous, Exodus 20v17, Luke 12v15.
-Live a simple life, 1Thessalonians 4v11-12
-Live within your means, spending what you do not have is not faith
-Do not be extravagant (John 6v12)
-Balance your spending, do not spend too much on pleasure and at the same time learn to enjoy what God gives you. Proverbs 21v17, Ecclesiastes 5v18, 10v16-17
-Plan your spending, budget
To be continued next Sunday….
Thursday, May 21, 2009
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WAYITEI ? SEWENZENI?
C. Text / Scripture
Genesis 4:9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And [the Lord] said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.
Rom 8:28 We are assured {and} know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together {and} are [fitting into a plan] for good to {and} for those who love God and are called according to [His] design {and} purpose.
Heb 12:16 That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
Heb 12:17 For you understand that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected (disqualified and set aside), for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance [what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], although he sought for it carefully with [bitter] tears
D. God Asked Cain – What Have You Done!
1) Before, God had told Cain, do well and you will be accepted but if not, sin lies at the door for you, its desire is to master you.
• All of us have the potential and risk of sinning, we are all tempted, we all have sin lying in wait for an opportunity
• Our role is to master sin and not give in, Paul says “Do not give the devil a foothold in your life, Eph 3v27
• Cain fail to master sin, he gave it and sin got hold of him
• When you fail to master sin and give in, you open the door to the devil and regret
• The question will come “What have you done?” You will even ask yourself, “What have I done”
• There are decisions that I have done in life and I have later regretted, “What have I done?”
• Sometimes the wrong decisions that we make are not necessarily sin but wrong for our lives
• We are in charge and responsible for our lives not God and not the devil
• Many a times we push blame and responsibility for what we do to the spirit / or the devil
• Galatians 5 says, “… the works of the flesh are …”, meaning most of the wrong things that we do are yielding to or failing to master our flesh
• Being saved by grace does not mean to live anyhow and not do good.
• Titus 2v says, we need to, “…maintain good works…”
• James says faith without works is dead.
Other People That Made Wrong Decisions / Actions
1) Esau
2) David – Uriah’s wife and numbering the people 2Sam 24 v10
3) Moses
4) Peter
5) Achan
6) Saul
7) Aaron & Israelites – golden calf
8) Asa 2 Chron 16 v 1-10
9) Hezekiah, Allowing Babylonians to see his kingdom
10) Uziah – offering sacrifices
E. Examples Of Lost Opportunity & Its Dangers
• Making wrong decisions and choices may lead us to looking some opportunities in life. (I taught our youths about this message “Seizing every opportunity end of last year but I feel like repeating it here)
• If we are to progress in life and achieve, we must seize or utilize every opportunity that we get
• Some opportunities that we miss or neglect may not come anymore
• In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham told the rich man that he (the rich man) lost his opportunity for salvation when he was on earth and could not get another. The rich man begged for Lazarus to go back to earth and preach to his brothers, Abraham said the brothers should use the opportunity presented by Moses and the prophets, if they fail to use it, they too will die.
• So, we need to be careful and not miss or the opportunities that God gives us, they may not come again
• Esau missed his opportunity and sold his birth right, he tried in vain to regain it again, but could not, he had lost his chance!
1) Salvation Opportunity
• Some miss the opportunity for salvation and end up in eternal death
• You get the chance of accepting Christ, you hear the gospel but you keep procrastinating until you die in sin!
• Some accept Christ but later get caught in other silly things and lose their salvation and lose opportunity for eternal life
2) Education / Academic Opportunity
• Some lose opportunity for excelling in their education
• You have somebody taking care of you, paying for all your school needs and you play with that chance.
• When you are / were at school, did you put enough effort to study and being serious? Are you not regretting today that you lost opportunity to excel when you were at school?
• Some realize when it is late that they missed a good opportunity to excel at school but now they have no resources to correct the mistake
• Some dropped out of school when they were pregnant and could not write exams, later when things are bitter in life, they regret
3) Employment Opportunity
• Have you lost opportunity for employment?
• Some lose opportunity by being late, not adequately preparing for interviews, etc
4) Business Opportunity
• Have you lost opportunity for making money or business deal?
5) Giving Opportunity
• Some lose opportunity for giving
• Sometimes God can instruct you to give something having earmarked you for a blessing or reward, if you do not obey, you lose the blessing
6) Ministry / Service Opportunity
• Some miss the call of God for service for simple small things, you miss your destiny in serving God by disobedience
• Saul lost the opportunity to be a king by simple disobeying God’s instruction in war
• You may lose your opportunity by arrogance, some run to ministry prematurely and lose their opportunity
7) Marriage Opportunity
• Some lose the opportunity of keeping themselves virgins till marriage
• You cannot afford to lose your virginity and a testimony in marriage for sleeping for 5 minutes with a man/ woman! You can lose the opportunity for a happy good marriage just for failing to control yourself. Some lose their virginity just months, weeks or days before their marriage!
Some disobey God, get married to a wrong partner and die prematurely
F. Conclusion
• I know that there is room for repentance with God and forgiveness
• But there are some opportunities that come once in one’s life and when lost can not be regained again
• If you lose your virginity, you may be forgiven but that can never make you a virgin again
• Some of the opportunities we lose or mistakes we make may cost us our lives
• If you live a promiscuous life, you make get infected with HIV at a young age, lose your opportunity for a happy marriage and die prematurely
• I have seen very good and promising young people die prematurely
• You may miss the opportunity of listening to God and marrying the wring person, marry an HIV career and die prematurely
• I know of good people in church that have died of HIV and you know for sure that they had a destiny to achieve before they die but died prematurely
• You need to seek God will and purpose for your life and not just do things your way
• Sometimes God’s ways may not seem good and wise but His plan is always the best
• Do not lose any opportunity because of ignorance or disobedience
• It is painful to look back and regret because of lost opportunity and bad choices that you made
• It is painful for people to come and say, “we told you” and you know they did!
• There was a time when Moses lost opportunity to go to the promised land, God said because of what you did, you will not get into the promised land. Moses tried to beg God until God said, “Do not mention that to me again” Numbers 20v8-12,
• Let us be careful, let us not abuse God’s grace and opportunities that He gives us
• Utilize every opportunity and not live to regret tomorrow
• Let us be responsible for and master our actions knowing that there are consequences.
• In all this, Jesus is our only solution, this weekend we remember His death and resurrection, you may have a new start with Him.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WAYITEI ? SEWENZENI?
Genesis 4:9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And [the Lord] said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.
Rom 8:28 We are assured {and} know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together {and} are [fitting into a plan] for good to {and} for those who love God and are called according to [His] design {and} purpose.
Heb 12:16 That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
Heb 12:17 For you understand that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected (disqualified and set aside), for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance [what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], although he sought for it carefully with [bitter] tears
D. God Asked Cain – What Have You Done!
1) Before, God had told Cain, do well and you will be accepted but if not, sin lies at the door for you, its desire is to master you.
• All of us have the potential and risk of sinning, we are all tempted, we all have sin lying in wait for an opportunity
• Our role is to master sin and not give in, Paul says “Do not give the devil a foothold in your life, Eph 3v27
• Cain fail to master sin, he gave it and sin got hold of him
• When you fail to master sin and give in, you open the door to the devil and regret
• The question will come “What have you done?” You will even ask yourself, “What have I done”
• There are decisions that I have done in life and I have later regretted, “What have I done?”
• Sometimes the wrong decisions that we make are not necessarily sin but wrong for our lives
• We are in charge and responsible for our lives not God and not the devil
• Many a times we push blame and responsibility for what we do to the spirit / or the devil
• Galatians 5 says, “… the works of the flesh are …”, meaning most of the wrong things that we do are yielding to or failing to master our flesh
• Being saved by grace does not mean to live anyhow and not do good.
• Titus 2v says, we need to, “…maintain good works…”
• James says faith without works is dead.
Other People That Made Wrong Decisions / Actions
1) Esau
2) David – Uriah’s wife and numbering the people 2Sam 24 v10
3) Moses
4) Peter
5) Achan
6) Saul
7) Aaron & Israelites – golden calf
8) Asa 2 Chron 16 v 1-10
9) Hezekiah, Allowing Babylonians to see his kingdom
10) Uziah – offering sacrifices
E. Examples Of Lost Opportunity & Its Dangers
• Making wrong decisions and choices may lead us to looking some opportunities in life. (I taught our youths about this message “Seizing every opportunity end of last year but I feel like repeating it here)
• If we are to progress in life and achieve, we must seize or utilize every opportunity that we get
• Some opportunities that we miss or neglect may not come anymore
• In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham told the rich man that he (the rich man) lost his opportunity for salvation when he was on earth and could not get another. The rich man begged for Lazarus to go back to earth and preach to his brothers, Abraham said the brothers should use the opportunity presented by Moses and the prophets, if they fail to use it, they too will die.
• So, we need to be careful and not miss or the opportunities that God gives us, they may not come again
• Esau missed his opportunity and sold his birth right, he tried in vain to regain it again, but could not, he had lost his chance!
1) Salvation Opportunity
• Some miss the opportunity for salvation and end up in eternal death
• You get the chance of accepting Christ, you hear the gospel but you keep procrastinating until you die in sin!
• Some accept Christ but later get caught in other silly things and lose their salvation and lose opportunity for eternal life
2) Education / Academic Opportunity
• Some lose opportunity for excelling in their education
• You have somebody taking care of you, paying for all your school needs and you play with that chance.
• When you are / were at school, did you put enough effort to study and being serious? Are you not regretting today that you lost opportunity to excel when you were at school?
• Some realize when it is late that they missed a good opportunity to excel at school but now they have no resources to correct the mistake
• Some dropped out of school when they were pregnant and could not write exams, later when things are bitter in life, they regret
3) Employment Opportunity
• Have you lost opportunity for employment?
• Some lose opportunity by being late, not adequately preparing for interviews, etc
4) Business Opportunity
• Have you lost opportunity for making money or business deal?
5) Giving Opportunity
• Some lose opportunity for giving
• Sometimes God can instruct you to give something having earmarked you for a blessing or reward, if you do not obey, you lose the blessing
6) Ministry / Service Opportunity
• Some miss the call of God for service for simple small things, you miss your destiny in serving God by disobedience
• Saul lost the opportunity to be a king by simple disobeying God’s instruction in war
• You may lose your opportunity by arrogance, some run to ministry prematurely and lose their opportunity
7) Marriage Opportunity
• Some lose the opportunity of keeping themselves virgins till marriage
• You cannot afford to lose your virginity and a testimony in marriage for sleeping for 5 minutes with a man/ woman! You can lose the opportunity for a happy good marriage just for failing to control yourself. Some lose their virginity just months, weeks or days before their marriage!
Some disobey God, get married to a wrong partner and die prematurely
F. Conclusion
• I know that there is room for repentance with God and forgiveness
• But there are some opportunities that come once in one’s life and when lost can not be regained again
• If you lose your virginity, you may be forgiven but that can never make you a virgin again
• Some of the opportunities we lose or mistakes we make may cost us our lives
• If you live a promiscuous life, you make get infected with HIV at a young age, lose your opportunity for a happy marriage and die prematurely
• I have seen very good and promising young people die prematurely
• You may miss the opportunity of listening to God and marrying the wring person, marry an HIV career and die prematurely
• I know of good people in church that have died of HIV and you know for sure that they had a destiny to achieve before they die but died prematurely
• You need to seek God will and purpose for your life and not just do things your way
• Sometimes God’s ways may not seem good and wise but His plan is always the best
• Do not lose any opportunity because of ignorance or disobedience
• It is painful to look back and regret because of lost opportunity and bad choices that you made
• It is painful for people to come and say, “we told you” and you know they did!
• There was a time when Moses lost opportunity to go to the promised land, God said because of what you did, you will not get into the promised land. Moses tried to beg God until God said, “Do not mention that to me again” Numbers 20v8-12,
• Let us be careful, let us not abuse God’s grace and opportunities that He gives us
• Utilize every opportunity and not live to regret tomorrow
• Let us be responsible for and master our actions knowing that there are consequences.
• In all this, Jesus is our only solution, this weekend we remember His death and resurrection, you may have a new start with Him.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WAYITEI ? SEWENZENI?
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Go
A. Protocol
• I want to acknowledge our senior pastor Rev Ndlovu and other pastors Rev M Ndlovu and Pastor G. Ncube.
B. Introduction
• Last week we talked about the subject, “Come”
• We realized that Jesus has given an open invitation to us and it is up to us to respond
• Jesus’ Word can carry us through situations
• We need to rise up, go to Jesus and experience the supernatural life
• We need to take the step of faith to experience the miraculous
• Today I want to talk about the subject, “GO”
• After coming to Jesus and having an encounter with Him, we do not end there.
• We are then to “Go” in His strength and power to do something
• We come to Go!
Matt 28:18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Matt 28:19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matt 28:20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close {and} consummation of the age. {Amen (so let it be).}
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach {and} publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].
Mark 16:16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.
Mark 16:17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;
Mark 16:18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.
Mark 16:19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs {and} miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).
C. God said Go!
1) God said to Abram, go to the land, Gen 12 v 1-4
• God said to Abraham, Go out / away. That literally meant leaving his place.
• God also said, when you go, then, I will make you!
• Many people want to be made but they do not want to go.
• For God to make you:
i) A great Nation
ii) Bless
iii) Make your name famous
• You need to obey and go out of your comfort, usual, tradition and routine
• It takes obedience and faith to obey and act on God’s Word
• Last week we said Peter rode on the Word Come! Abram rode on the Word Go!
• When you obey God and Go, He will make you what he said.
• Leave the traditions of your family, leave the religion, leave the rituals and obey God.
• When you go out, like Abram, you will establish a family of Faith & prosperity
• Go out and start a faith family for God.
• Abram is today called the father of faith because he obeyed the Word Go!
2) God said to Jacob, go to the land, Genesis 31v11-13
• For Jacob to inherit the blessings of Abraham, he also obeyed the Word Go.
• Jacob had acquired wealth with Laban but when God said Go, he obeyed and went.
3) God said to Moses, Come & I will send you to deliver Israel, Exodus 3v10 & 16
• Moses have to first come and avail himself to God and then Go to Egypt
• Many people want to go before they come.
• Like we said last week, first come, have an encounter with Christ, then He will send you to Go!
• God then says in verse 16, “…Go…”, the actual word translated, come, in verse 1 is “Yalak” also carries the meaning to Go.
4) God said to Gideon, go in this your power and you will save Israel, Judges 6v14.
• The bible says, God looked at him and said, Go!
• The word translated go also means: command, charge, appoint, declare & certify.
• He said go in this your power / strength.
• Gideon did not realize that he had the strength, when God says Go, he equips you
• I believe even today God is saying Go, to different leaders, He is still calling political and military leaders to go and deliver His people!
• Where is God saying Go to? Are you ready to go?
• Or you are feeling inadequate and are giving excuses for not going.
5) Jesus said to the disciples, go
• In our key texts above, before Jesus left, He commanded His disciples, Go to the whole world and preach / teach the gospel
• We call that the great commission. He said teach them to observe all that I have taught you.
• While that command may be specific, to those called into offices, it may also be general to all Christians to witness.
• We may not all be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers, but we can all go and witness at different levels.
• We can go and witness at school, at work, at our suburbs, to our neighbors, to our business partners, to our sports partners, to our political partners, etc
• Are you willing to Go and witness for Christ?
• He promised us His presence and cooperation when we go.
• If you want the power, anointing of Christ, then go and witness.
• The bible says, the apostles went and preached and God was working with them, confirming the Word with signs following.
6) Jesus said to Legion, Go! Mark 5v19-20
• After Jesus healed and delivered the man from the devils, the man wanted to follow Jesus but He said, no, Go to your home and tell them!
• The bible says the man went and published in the 10 cities what Jesus had done and many marveled.
D. God Asking, Who Will Go?
7) Who will go for us? Isaiah 6 v8-9
• After Isaiah had an encounter with God, he was asked for his service.
• God asked, who will go for us? That implies that God cannot go for Himself, He wants people who can go!
• Isaiah then answers, Here am I, send me!
• God is asking today, who will go for us? Are there people here that can answer like Isaiah, here am I, send me?
• After Isaiah availed himself, God then said, “…Go and tell…”, when God says Go, he gives you the mandate, He calls you for a specific purpose.
• When I availed myself to God, He gave me a specific “job description”, I know what I was send to Go and do.
E. CONCLUSION
• We do not come to Jesus to just sit down and enjoy His presence, after coming, we need to Go
• We all can go and do our part at different levels
• Sometimes for God to make us and do things in our lives, we need to go out of certain things, habits, behavior, etc
• Where is God calling you to today? Where is He saying you should go to?
• God is asking today, who will Go for us???
• Are there any that are saying God, “here am I, send me’. Are there any that are saying “I say yes to your will Lord?
• People like to talk about the anointing, being great man / women of God, very few are available for service.
• God is not necessarily looking for mighty people but those who ready and willing to serve Him
• He is looking for those who are ready to Go!
F. DICTIONARY
1. Judges 6v14, word translated Go, is amor, 559. RMÁJÆ~.
A primitive root.
To say (used with great latitude).
Answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, command, + at the commandment, give commandment, commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak, speak against, speak of, × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, + use speech, utter, × verily, × yet.
2. Exodus 3v10, word translated come is yalak, 3212. ‚éLÁYF~.
A primitive root ~H1980 = ‚éLÁHÆ~]~.
To walk (literally or figuratively); causatively to carry (in various senses).
× again, away, bear, bring, carry, carry away, come, come away, depart, flow, + follow, + following, get, get away, get hence, get him, go, cause to go, make go, go away, going, gone, go one's way, go out, grow, lead, lead forth, let down, march, prosper, + pursue, cause to run, spread, take away, + take journey, vanish, walk, cause to walk, walking, wax, × be weak.
HAMBA? CHIYENDA ? GO?
• I want to acknowledge our senior pastor Rev Ndlovu and other pastors Rev M Ndlovu and Pastor G. Ncube.
B. Introduction
• Last week we talked about the subject, “Come”
• We realized that Jesus has given an open invitation to us and it is up to us to respond
• Jesus’ Word can carry us through situations
• We need to rise up, go to Jesus and experience the supernatural life
• We need to take the step of faith to experience the miraculous
• Today I want to talk about the subject, “GO”
• After coming to Jesus and having an encounter with Him, we do not end there.
• We are then to “Go” in His strength and power to do something
• We come to Go!
Matt 28:18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Matt 28:19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matt 28:20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close {and} consummation of the age. {Amen (so let it be).}
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach {and} publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].
Mark 16:16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.
Mark 16:17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;
Mark 16:18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.
Mark 16:19 So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs {and} miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).
C. God said Go!
1) God said to Abram, go to the land, Gen 12 v 1-4
• God said to Abraham, Go out / away. That literally meant leaving his place.
• God also said, when you go, then, I will make you!
• Many people want to be made but they do not want to go.
• For God to make you:
i) A great Nation
ii) Bless
iii) Make your name famous
• You need to obey and go out of your comfort, usual, tradition and routine
• It takes obedience and faith to obey and act on God’s Word
• Last week we said Peter rode on the Word Come! Abram rode on the Word Go!
• When you obey God and Go, He will make you what he said.
• Leave the traditions of your family, leave the religion, leave the rituals and obey God.
• When you go out, like Abram, you will establish a family of Faith & prosperity
• Go out and start a faith family for God.
• Abram is today called the father of faith because he obeyed the Word Go!
2) God said to Jacob, go to the land, Genesis 31v11-13
• For Jacob to inherit the blessings of Abraham, he also obeyed the Word Go.
• Jacob had acquired wealth with Laban but when God said Go, he obeyed and went.
3) God said to Moses, Come & I will send you to deliver Israel, Exodus 3v10 & 16
• Moses have to first come and avail himself to God and then Go to Egypt
• Many people want to go before they come.
• Like we said last week, first come, have an encounter with Christ, then He will send you to Go!
• God then says in verse 16, “…Go…”, the actual word translated, come, in verse 1 is “Yalak” also carries the meaning to Go.
4) God said to Gideon, go in this your power and you will save Israel, Judges 6v14.
• The bible says, God looked at him and said, Go!
• The word translated go also means: command, charge, appoint, declare & certify.
• He said go in this your power / strength.
• Gideon did not realize that he had the strength, when God says Go, he equips you
• I believe even today God is saying Go, to different leaders, He is still calling political and military leaders to go and deliver His people!
• Where is God saying Go to? Are you ready to go?
• Or you are feeling inadequate and are giving excuses for not going.
5) Jesus said to the disciples, go
• In our key texts above, before Jesus left, He commanded His disciples, Go to the whole world and preach / teach the gospel
• We call that the great commission. He said teach them to observe all that I have taught you.
• While that command may be specific, to those called into offices, it may also be general to all Christians to witness.
• We may not all be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers, but we can all go and witness at different levels.
• We can go and witness at school, at work, at our suburbs, to our neighbors, to our business partners, to our sports partners, to our political partners, etc
• Are you willing to Go and witness for Christ?
• He promised us His presence and cooperation when we go.
• If you want the power, anointing of Christ, then go and witness.
• The bible says, the apostles went and preached and God was working with them, confirming the Word with signs following.
6) Jesus said to Legion, Go! Mark 5v19-20
• After Jesus healed and delivered the man from the devils, the man wanted to follow Jesus but He said, no, Go to your home and tell them!
• The bible says the man went and published in the 10 cities what Jesus had done and many marveled.
D. God Asking, Who Will Go?
7) Who will go for us? Isaiah 6 v8-9
• After Isaiah had an encounter with God, he was asked for his service.
• God asked, who will go for us? That implies that God cannot go for Himself, He wants people who can go!
• Isaiah then answers, Here am I, send me!
• God is asking today, who will go for us? Are there people here that can answer like Isaiah, here am I, send me?
• After Isaiah availed himself, God then said, “…Go and tell…”, when God says Go, he gives you the mandate, He calls you for a specific purpose.
• When I availed myself to God, He gave me a specific “job description”, I know what I was send to Go and do.
E. CONCLUSION
• We do not come to Jesus to just sit down and enjoy His presence, after coming, we need to Go
• We all can go and do our part at different levels
• Sometimes for God to make us and do things in our lives, we need to go out of certain things, habits, behavior, etc
• Where is God calling you to today? Where is He saying you should go to?
• God is asking today, who will Go for us???
• Are there any that are saying God, “here am I, send me’. Are there any that are saying “I say yes to your will Lord?
• People like to talk about the anointing, being great man / women of God, very few are available for service.
• God is not necessarily looking for mighty people but those who ready and willing to serve Him
• He is looking for those who are ready to Go!
F. DICTIONARY
1. Judges 6v14, word translated Go, is amor, 559. RMÁJÆ~.
A primitive root.
To say (used with great latitude).
Answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, command, + at the commandment, give commandment, commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak, speak against, speak of, × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, + use speech, utter, × verily, × yet.
2. Exodus 3v10, word translated come is yalak, 3212. ‚éLÁYF~.
A primitive root ~H1980 = ‚éLÁHÆ~]~.
To walk (literally or figuratively); causatively to carry (in various senses).
× again, away, bear, bring, carry, carry away, come, come away, depart, flow, + follow, + following, get, get away, get hence, get him, go, cause to go, make go, go away, going, gone, go one's way, go out, grow, lead, lead forth, let down, march, prosper, + pursue, cause to run, spread, take away, + take journey, vanish, walk, cause to walk, walking, wax, × be weak.
HAMBA? CHIYENDA ? GO?
Friday, February 20, 2009
This is MY God.
He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and
The Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him,
The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Donahue can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and
His mind is on me.
He is my Redeemer,
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and
He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and
His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
The power of the powerful,
The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers,
The leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and
The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
Never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me, and
Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere,
Every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
God said it, I believe it and that settles that.
God is in control, I am on His side, and
That means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
(Author unkwown)
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and
The Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him,
The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Donahue can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and
His mind is on me.
He is my Redeemer,
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and
He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and
His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
The power of the powerful,
The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers,
The leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and
The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
Never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me, and
Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere,
Every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
God said it, I believe it and that settles that.
God is in control, I am on His side, and
That means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
(Author unkwown)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
COME! (WUYA / WOZA)
COME! (WUYA / WOZA)
Matt 14:24 But the boat was by this time out on the sea, {many furlongs} [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] {distant from the land,} beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Matt 14:25 And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
Matt 14:26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright.
Matt 14:27 But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!
Matt 14:28 And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.
Matt 14:29 He said, COME! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.
Matt 14:30 But when he perceived {and} felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]!
Matt 14:31 Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught {and} held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Matt 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Introduction
•Somebody said “One Word from God will change your life forever”
•One Word from the mouth of Jesus change affect your eternal destiny, it can change your life.
•You do not need many things in your life but a Word from God. One rhema or revealed Word from God will transform you.
•Pastor Chris says, “What God wants to give you is not money, healing, success, etc but what God wants to give you is the Word in your spirit.”
•If you get the Word of God in your heart, you can never fail and you can do anything
•Peter walked on water because of one Word, “Come”, when you the Word of Christ you can also go far and can do anything!
Peter’s example
•There were about twelve people in the boat but only one walked on water
•Other disciples could have said, “Peter ulamawala, you will sink and die in water” Some might have tried to stop him or discourage him from getting out of the boat.
•There is a song that says “No one can walk on the sea but only the Son of God” Peter renders that song in accurate. He walked on water to Jesus, he of course began to sink, Jesus held him but also they went together both on water when going to the boat
•You need to exercise your faith, you may not know how strong or weak your faith is until you exercise or act on it.
•After getting born again about 15 years ago, I did not know how much I could do until I exercised my faith. I remember at one time, I prayed for my grandmother when she had developed “goiter”, she had previously had it, went to the hospital and they told her not to drink beer or milk and eat no meat. It later developed and I laid my hands on her, she was healed.
•As a young Christian, it was easy for me to exercise my faith, I know God sometimes “overlooked” my imperfect faith.
•You need to act on your faith as you are, do not wait to grow big faith! Faith grows also on practice.
•Peter might have begun to sink when he looked at the waves and was afraid, keep your eyes on Jesus and walk!
•If you have been to the sea, you understand why Peter began to sink, I one went to Durban and saw the sea, when you hear about waves of the sea, you only understand when you have seen them.
•There are times when I have “overstretched” my faith, at times I have failed in my exercising faith, but, I will still go back to God with my mess, and carry on exercising and developing my faith.
Jesus is always inviting us!
•Jesus said to Peter, “Come”
•He says, “Come unto me ye all that labor and are having heavy burdens” Matthew 11v28
•“…Him that comes to me I will not cast out”, John 6v37
•“…won’t you come to me and have life…” John 5v40
•“…let him who thirst come to me and drink…” John 7v37-39
• “Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk”, Isaiah 55v1
•And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and he who is hearing -- let him say, Come; and he who is thirsting -- let him come; and he who is willing -- let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22v17
•It is like the things of God are always available but it takes somebody to come. God needs us to come to Him, things won’t come to us, we need to take the step to Him!
•Coming is for those that hear, have needs and are willing
•Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world; Matthew 24v34
•Even at the last day, Jesus will invite those that will get into heaven and say, “Come”, are you going there, you accept the invitation today before we get there.
Conclusion
•Jesus is calling us to a higher life with Him
•He said to Peter, “come and walk on water with me”. He permitted him to walk in the supernatural
•Even today, He still says “Come”.
•You too can walk on water, what waters are around you?
•You need to act by faith and come out of the boat
•Refuse to be limited and detected to by situations on how far you can go, you can go far in life, come out of the boat and limitations for a higher life.
•Some need to walk on the waters of: sin, sicknesses, failure in life, poverty, rebellious children, barrenness, directionless and unproductive life, etc. Jesus says come!
•For Peter coming out of the boat and walking on water was a step of faith and it was risky. Faith is risky, if you do not want to take risks, you cannot walk in faith
•Sometimes you will fail, sometimes you will sink but Jesus is readily available to hold your hand when you sink.
•For Peter to walk on water, he had to have the Word of Jesus to ride on. You too need the Word! Peter rode on the word “Come”!
•Miracles and supernatural life is still for us today. That higher life is dependant upon us riding and acting on the Word.
•We should not limit ourselves to the natural world, there is a supernatural life, we are called to higher life!
•We need to come to Jesus and walk in freedom as Africans to true prosperity, where we own businesses, own land and properties, own mines and other resources and lead our Continent without the West’s interference.
•Jesus is the one Who is inviting us to that life, there is nothing impossible with Him. We depend on the one who is all powerful
•With God nothing is impossible and He wiped the devil. Let us expose situations to Jesus.
•As we were growing up, when young man wanted to fight, they would make a heap of sand for each, when one destroyed the hip of the other, that would provoke a fight. Today, make your hip for Jesus and if the devil destroys it, then Jesus will have to fight for Himself.
•Come to Jesus today, come with everything and situation, whatever mess the devil has put on you, come with it to Jesus.
•You may be weak, you may have weaknesses, come as you are, Peter was weak but today he has a testimony that he also walked on water, that depended on Jesus could do not what Peter could do.
•People might have rejected you, your family might have rejected you, your friends might have rejected you, your church might have written you off, your leaders might have rejected you, your nation and economy might have rejected you, but Jesus says come! He does not reject you.
•Come as you are, there is enough grace, come with your sin and evil nature, come with your sin, come with your sickness, come with your HIV! Come to Jesus and present your situation, some of the things you need to present them yourself before Christ.
WOZA - WUYA - COME
Matt 14:24 But the boat was by this time out on the sea, {many furlongs} [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] {distant from the land,} beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Matt 14:25 And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
Matt 14:26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright.
Matt 14:27 But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!
Matt 14:28 And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.
Matt 14:29 He said, COME! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.
Matt 14:30 But when he perceived {and} felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]!
Matt 14:31 Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught {and} held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Matt 14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Introduction
•Somebody said “One Word from God will change your life forever”
•One Word from the mouth of Jesus change affect your eternal destiny, it can change your life.
•You do not need many things in your life but a Word from God. One rhema or revealed Word from God will transform you.
•Pastor Chris says, “What God wants to give you is not money, healing, success, etc but what God wants to give you is the Word in your spirit.”
•If you get the Word of God in your heart, you can never fail and you can do anything
•Peter walked on water because of one Word, “Come”, when you the Word of Christ you can also go far and can do anything!
Peter’s example
•There were about twelve people in the boat but only one walked on water
•Other disciples could have said, “Peter ulamawala, you will sink and die in water” Some might have tried to stop him or discourage him from getting out of the boat.
•There is a song that says “No one can walk on the sea but only the Son of God” Peter renders that song in accurate. He walked on water to Jesus, he of course began to sink, Jesus held him but also they went together both on water when going to the boat
•You need to exercise your faith, you may not know how strong or weak your faith is until you exercise or act on it.
•After getting born again about 15 years ago, I did not know how much I could do until I exercised my faith. I remember at one time, I prayed for my grandmother when she had developed “goiter”, she had previously had it, went to the hospital and they told her not to drink beer or milk and eat no meat. It later developed and I laid my hands on her, she was healed.
•As a young Christian, it was easy for me to exercise my faith, I know God sometimes “overlooked” my imperfect faith.
•You need to act on your faith as you are, do not wait to grow big faith! Faith grows also on practice.
•Peter might have begun to sink when he looked at the waves and was afraid, keep your eyes on Jesus and walk!
•If you have been to the sea, you understand why Peter began to sink, I one went to Durban and saw the sea, when you hear about waves of the sea, you only understand when you have seen them.
•There are times when I have “overstretched” my faith, at times I have failed in my exercising faith, but, I will still go back to God with my mess, and carry on exercising and developing my faith.
Jesus is always inviting us!
•Jesus said to Peter, “Come”
•He says, “Come unto me ye all that labor and are having heavy burdens” Matthew 11v28
•“…Him that comes to me I will not cast out”, John 6v37
•“…won’t you come to me and have life…” John 5v40
•“…let him who thirst come to me and drink…” John 7v37-39
• “Ho, every thirsty one, come ye to the waters, And he who hath no money, Come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy Without money and without price, wine and milk”, Isaiah 55v1
•And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and he who is hearing -- let him say, Come; and he who is thirsting -- let him come; and he who is willing -- let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22v17
•It is like the things of God are always available but it takes somebody to come. God needs us to come to Him, things won’t come to us, we need to take the step to Him!
•Coming is for those that hear, have needs and are willing
•Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world; Matthew 24v34
•Even at the last day, Jesus will invite those that will get into heaven and say, “Come”, are you going there, you accept the invitation today before we get there.
Conclusion
•Jesus is calling us to a higher life with Him
•He said to Peter, “come and walk on water with me”. He permitted him to walk in the supernatural
•Even today, He still says “Come”.
•You too can walk on water, what waters are around you?
•You need to act by faith and come out of the boat
•Refuse to be limited and detected to by situations on how far you can go, you can go far in life, come out of the boat and limitations for a higher life.
•Some need to walk on the waters of: sin, sicknesses, failure in life, poverty, rebellious children, barrenness, directionless and unproductive life, etc. Jesus says come!
•For Peter coming out of the boat and walking on water was a step of faith and it was risky. Faith is risky, if you do not want to take risks, you cannot walk in faith
•Sometimes you will fail, sometimes you will sink but Jesus is readily available to hold your hand when you sink.
•For Peter to walk on water, he had to have the Word of Jesus to ride on. You too need the Word! Peter rode on the word “Come”!
•Miracles and supernatural life is still for us today. That higher life is dependant upon us riding and acting on the Word.
•We should not limit ourselves to the natural world, there is a supernatural life, we are called to higher life!
•We need to come to Jesus and walk in freedom as Africans to true prosperity, where we own businesses, own land and properties, own mines and other resources and lead our Continent without the West’s interference.
•Jesus is the one Who is inviting us to that life, there is nothing impossible with Him. We depend on the one who is all powerful
•With God nothing is impossible and He wiped the devil. Let us expose situations to Jesus.
•As we were growing up, when young man wanted to fight, they would make a heap of sand for each, when one destroyed the hip of the other, that would provoke a fight. Today, make your hip for Jesus and if the devil destroys it, then Jesus will have to fight for Himself.
•Come to Jesus today, come with everything and situation, whatever mess the devil has put on you, come with it to Jesus.
•You may be weak, you may have weaknesses, come as you are, Peter was weak but today he has a testimony that he also walked on water, that depended on Jesus could do not what Peter could do.
•People might have rejected you, your family might have rejected you, your friends might have rejected you, your church might have written you off, your leaders might have rejected you, your nation and economy might have rejected you, but Jesus says come! He does not reject you.
•Come as you are, there is enough grace, come with your sin and evil nature, come with your sin, come with your sickness, come with your HIV! Come to Jesus and present your situation, some of the things you need to present them yourself before Christ.
WOZA - WUYA - COME
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Soldier Mentality Part 4
Example From David’s Warriors
1Chron 11v11-25-47, 12v1-2, 8, 17-18, 21-22, 38
1 Chr 11:11 And this is the number [thirty, and list] of DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, the chief of the Thirty [captains]. HE LIFTED UP HIS SPEAR AGAINST 300, WHOM HE SLEW AT ONE TIME.
1 Chr 11:12 Next to him in rank was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:13 He was with David at Pas-dammim [where David had long before slain Goliath], and there the Philistines were gathered for battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley {or} lentils; and the men [of Israel] fled before the Philistines.
1 Chr 11:14 AND ELEAZAR [ONE OF THE THREE] STOOD IN THE MIDST OF THAT PLOT AND DEFENDED IT AND SLEW THE PHILISTINES [UNTIL HIS HAND WAS WEARY, AND HIS HAND CLEAVED TO THE SWORD], AND THE LORD SAVED BY A GREAT VICTORY {AND} DELIVERANCE.
1 Chr 11:15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, and the army of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
1 Chr 11:16 David was then in the stronghold, and the Philistines' garrison was in Bethlehem.
1 Chr 11:17 And David longingly said, Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!
1 Chr 11:18 THEN THE THREE [MIGHTY MEN] BROKE THROUGH THE CAMP OF THE PHILISTINES AND DREW WATER OUT OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM which was by the gate and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to the Lord,
1 Chr 11:19 And said, My God forbid that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it. So he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. For he lifted up his spear against 300 and slew them, and was named among the Three.
1 Chr 11:21 Of the Three [in the second rank] he was more renowned than the two, and became their captain; however, he attained not to the first three.
1 Chr 11:22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, whose father was a valiant man of Kabzeel, had done mighty deeds. HE SLEW THE TWO SONS OF ARIEL OF MOAB. ALSO HE WENT DOWN AND SLEW A LION IN A PIT IN TIME OF SNOW.
1 Chr 11:23 He slew an Egyptian also, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear like a weaver's beam, and [Benaiah] went to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with the man's own spear.
1 Chr 11:24 These things did Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:25 He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the rank of the first three. David put him over his guard {and} council.
•The 30 mighty man of David were brave warriors who gave themselves to serving and protecting David. They sacrificed themselves to their king.
•They are listed above because of great things that they achived for David.
•We are also today looking for warriors who will give themselves to serve God and the church.
•What can we count on from you? Where is your strength? Where can we list you as a warrior? What are you going to stand and fight for?
•We need intercessors, musicians, out reachers, leaders, ushers, givers (of resources), etc.
•Where do you fit?
•As your pastor, where can I count on you? Where can I count on your service? I need Young people that I can write or make history with! Are you available?
•They were balanced man, could use both hands. You need to have a balanced ministry & be a balanced leader. You should be able to do more that one thing right, teach, preach, counsel, usher, etc
•Had faces like lions. Have the attitude/mind of a lion.
•Had discipline / strength of a gazelle. Need to endure, disciplined & not give up.
1Chron 11v11-25-47, 12v1-2, 8, 17-18, 21-22, 38
1 Chr 11:11 And this is the number [thirty, and list] of DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, the chief of the Thirty [captains]. HE LIFTED UP HIS SPEAR AGAINST 300, WHOM HE SLEW AT ONE TIME.
1 Chr 11:12 Next to him in rank was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:13 He was with David at Pas-dammim [where David had long before slain Goliath], and there the Philistines were gathered for battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley {or} lentils; and the men [of Israel] fled before the Philistines.
1 Chr 11:14 AND ELEAZAR [ONE OF THE THREE] STOOD IN THE MIDST OF THAT PLOT AND DEFENDED IT AND SLEW THE PHILISTINES [UNTIL HIS HAND WAS WEARY, AND HIS HAND CLEAVED TO THE SWORD], AND THE LORD SAVED BY A GREAT VICTORY {AND} DELIVERANCE.
1 Chr 11:15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, and the army of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
1 Chr 11:16 David was then in the stronghold, and the Philistines' garrison was in Bethlehem.
1 Chr 11:17 And David longingly said, Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!
1 Chr 11:18 THEN THE THREE [MIGHTY MEN] BROKE THROUGH THE CAMP OF THE PHILISTINES AND DREW WATER OUT OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM which was by the gate and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to the Lord,
1 Chr 11:19 And said, My God forbid that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it. So he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. For he lifted up his spear against 300 and slew them, and was named among the Three.
1 Chr 11:21 Of the Three [in the second rank] he was more renowned than the two, and became their captain; however, he attained not to the first three.
1 Chr 11:22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, whose father was a valiant man of Kabzeel, had done mighty deeds. HE SLEW THE TWO SONS OF ARIEL OF MOAB. ALSO HE WENT DOWN AND SLEW A LION IN A PIT IN TIME OF SNOW.
1 Chr 11:23 He slew an Egyptian also, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear like a weaver's beam, and [Benaiah] went to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with the man's own spear.
1 Chr 11:24 These things did Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men.
1 Chr 11:25 He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the rank of the first three. David put him over his guard {and} council.
•The 30 mighty man of David were brave warriors who gave themselves to serving and protecting David. They sacrificed themselves to their king.
•They are listed above because of great things that they achived for David.
•We are also today looking for warriors who will give themselves to serve God and the church.
•What can we count on from you? Where is your strength? Where can we list you as a warrior? What are you going to stand and fight for?
•We need intercessors, musicians, out reachers, leaders, ushers, givers (of resources), etc.
•Where do you fit?
•As your pastor, where can I count on you? Where can I count on your service? I need Young people that I can write or make history with! Are you available?
•They were balanced man, could use both hands. You need to have a balanced ministry & be a balanced leader. You should be able to do more that one thing right, teach, preach, counsel, usher, etc
•Had faces like lions. Have the attitude/mind of a lion.
•Had discipline / strength of a gazelle. Need to endure, disciplined & not give up.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Soldier Mentality 3
Victory is Certain!
• 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2 Cor 2:14 But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads {and} makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,
• Rom 8:37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors {and} gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
• Have the attitude and behave or act like you are a warrior
• Heb 2v10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
• Jesus Captain of our salvation, Heb 2v10, word translated captain also means chief leader and prince
• So, Jesus is part of this war, He is not passively watching us, He led the way and leads us in war even now to effect the “regime change”
• Jesus beat up and defeated the devil, Col 2:15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display {and} public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him {and} in it [the cross].
• 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2 Cor 2:14 But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads {and} makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,
• Rom 8:37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors {and} gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
• Have the attitude and behave or act like you are a warrior
• Heb 2v10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
• Jesus Captain of our salvation, Heb 2v10, word translated captain also means chief leader and prince
• So, Jesus is part of this war, He is not passively watching us, He led the way and leads us in war even now to effect the “regime change”
• Jesus beat up and defeated the devil, Col 2:15 [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display {and} public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him {and} in it [the cross].
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Soldier Mentality Part 2
The Armor
Eph 6:10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
Eph 6:11 Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies {and} the deceits of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Eph 6:13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist {and} stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity {and} of moral rectitude {and} right standing with God,
Eph 6:15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
Eph 6:16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
•As warriors, we need to be fully armed, we are to put the whole armor.
•If we are not armed in any area, the enemy will use that as a soft sport to attack
•The bible says we are at war but not with the physical enemy, our war is spiritual.
•That also mean we need to be spiritually alert and sensitive
•Belt of truth, we need to people of truth and integrity if we are to succeed as warriors. Very few people walk in truth these days. Lest us stand by the truth and integrity. Psalms 15v4.
•Breast plate of righteousness, that is, right standing with God. We need to stand in the righteousness that we received when we got born again. Failure to stand on and believe that we are righteous will give the enemy entrance in our hearts
•Feet with gospel of peace,
•Shield of faith, faith is the ultimate defense
•Helmet of salvation
•Sword of the Spirit, the Word. We need to have the Word, ability to use or wield it is important; having a weapon if you do not know how to use it is like you do not have it!
•Let me emphasise, the bible says, we need to put the whole amour, we need balance as the Warriors or Christ, let us be fully armed in every area!
Eph 6:10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
Eph 6:11 Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies {and} the deceits of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Eph 6:13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist {and} stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity {and} of moral rectitude {and} right standing with God,
Eph 6:15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
Eph 6:16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.
•As warriors, we need to be fully armed, we are to put the whole armor.
•If we are not armed in any area, the enemy will use that as a soft sport to attack
•The bible says we are at war but not with the physical enemy, our war is spiritual.
•That also mean we need to be spiritually alert and sensitive
•Belt of truth, we need to people of truth and integrity if we are to succeed as warriors. Very few people walk in truth these days. Lest us stand by the truth and integrity. Psalms 15v4.
•Breast plate of righteousness, that is, right standing with God. We need to stand in the righteousness that we received when we got born again. Failure to stand on and believe that we are righteous will give the enemy entrance in our hearts
•Feet with gospel of peace,
•Shield of faith, faith is the ultimate defense
•Helmet of salvation
•Sword of the Spirit, the Word. We need to have the Word, ability to use or wield it is important; having a weapon if you do not know how to use it is like you do not have it!
•Let me emphasise, the bible says, we need to put the whole amour, we need balance as the Warriors or Christ, let us be fully armed in every area!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Soldier Mentality Part1
ATTITUDE OF A SOLDIER / WARRIOR
2 Tim 2:3 Take [with me] your share of the hardships {and} suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 2:4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy {and} please the one who enlisted him.
The Warrior
• Word translated soldier in verse 3 also denotes; spreading out, taking position, an army, from the camp or base
• So, as ministers of the gospel, we are to live like an army of Christ encamped and ready for war!
• Our attitude should be like that of a soldier, always ready to strike.
• It is also implicated that we are always on duty, always in camp, no off duty!
• Soldier does not entangle himself with civilian issues.
• Our target or aim is to please our Chef!
• We do not seek to be admired by the civilians but please our Boss
• Soldiers seek to please their leader and fulfill the leaders’ vision; they do not have their own!
• We need to follow the vision of God and our leaders!
• One of the problems we have in church today is that everybody wants to issue instructions, very few like to take orders and instructions!
2 Tim 2:3 Take [with me] your share of the hardships {and} suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 2:4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy {and} please the one who enlisted him.
The Warrior
• Word translated soldier in verse 3 also denotes; spreading out, taking position, an army, from the camp or base
• So, as ministers of the gospel, we are to live like an army of Christ encamped and ready for war!
• Our attitude should be like that of a soldier, always ready to strike.
• It is also implicated that we are always on duty, always in camp, no off duty!
• Soldier does not entangle himself with civilian issues.
• Our target or aim is to please our Chef!
• We do not seek to be admired by the civilians but please our Boss
• Soldiers seek to please their leader and fulfill the leaders’ vision; they do not have their own!
• We need to follow the vision of God and our leaders!
• One of the problems we have in church today is that everybody wants to issue instructions, very few like to take orders and instructions!
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