20-05-2018

BACKGROUND

 According to Forbes.com, Grandwhich Co-Founder of Trinity Financial Sports and Entertainment, he says “I get my Financial Guidance from the Bible. Money and possessions are second most referenced topic in the bible. Money is mentioned in the bible 800 Times and the message is clear DEBT is not God`s will Plan”
We must Have A Correct perspective About FINANCES:
 -You need Money To Pay School Fees
 -Need Money To pay Rent for Your House
 -The Reason Why You Go to Work is MONEY
 -The Reason why people start businesses is Money
 -You cannot marry your child off if Lobola (bride price) has not been paid. Money is involved.
 -You need Money To Buy Anything in this World.
 – 98% Marriage of All marital problems are Money Caused either too much or too little.
 – You need money to hold crusades
 So when we teach biblical principles about MONEY in Church, why does the Enemy get upset? Haggai 2:8 tell us that All Silver and Gold is for the Lord.
 Whoever does not teach on the importance MONEY, They have robbed you. God wants to prosper YOU in Jesus name.
The Currency in the Spiritual Realm is POWER. Money is the Currency here on Earth. It is the language the world speaks, so we all must learn, practice and speaks it very well.

According to Dr Theo Walmarans, biblical Prosperity is the ability to use God`s ABILITY and PROVISIONS to meet the needs of Human Kind regardless of what those needs may be.

LUKE 12:13-21.

 We see two brothers after their father died; one selfishly took everything for himself without sharing with his brother.
 Our Lord Jesus Christ narrates a story about a certain foolish rich man.
 God blessed him with a very fertile land, which produced a bumper harvest.
 He said what should I do since I have no enough room for all MY Crops.
 He built bigger and better barns for wheat and other goods.
 The problem began when he said, “I will sit back and say to myself, my friend you have enough stored away for years to come.
 Take it easy! Eat and drink.”
 God the owner of life and the earth said to him, YOU FOOL! You will die this very night. Who will get everything you have worked for?
 Jesus said that person is a fool to store earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

FOUR VITAL KEYS WE MUST KNOW ABOUT KINGDOM PROSPERITY:

1. GOD GIVES US ABILITY TO GET WEALTH:
 A certain rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops (17)
 God gave this man a good and fertile land and also bumper harvest. The earth and all in it, belongs to the Lord.
 The Job you have, that intelligence to write books, to do scientific research, inventions and discoveries is all the ability from God.
 That multi million-dollar investment (s), it is God who has given you the ability to even conceive and run it.
 In Deuteronomy 8:18, we must never forget that it is God who has given us that power and ability to sing, work, get wealth and do all manner of wonders.
 The major reason God entrusts us with the power and ability to GET (already there) not to MAKE (start from scratch), is in order to establish His Covenant with us.

2. GOD IS LOOKING FOR FAITHFUL STEWARDS TO BLESS AND BE A BLESSING
 He said I will sit back and say to myself, you have enough take it easy, eat and drink and be merry (19).
 God is looking for faithful stewards, not small hearts with big egos, so that he can show them where and how to get wealth. In turn they, they will help the poor, clothe the widows, pay schools fees for fatherless children, pay tithe for God`s work to move forward.
 The world is full of selfish people, they cannot evangelize, the reason they go to church is to show off their clothes, big cars, egos, fancy shoes. That is nonsense before God.
 God is waiting for his children to fully understand his Kingdom business.
 Matthew 6:33 Seek First the KINGDOM of GOD (Souls, tithing, helping the poor, crusades, provide food security and all solutions the world is looking for)
 If all you care about is YOU, YOURSELF and YOU ALONE, God will take away everything you have.
 Say Father I humble my self to receive your ability and power to GET wealth and be a covenant and Faithful Steward with you in Jesus name

3. WHEN YOU STOP GIVING YOU START DYING:
 God said you FOOL, tonight I will take your life.(20)
 The only sea that receives and never gives out is called the DEAD SEA.
 Any person who gives to God, others, the church and community, can never die before their time.
 Your works will sustain you and speak for you in this life and life to come
 Works will not take you to heaven but they will speak for you. Dorcus is a great example in Acts 9:36-41
 If you do not pay tithe you are not living, if you do not give to others you are a dead person existing
 If your mind is programmed to RECEIVE ONLY, you need Help. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
 Father baptize me with grace to give more than I receive in Jesus name

4. GOD WANTS YOU FIRST TO HAVE A RICH RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND BE WEALTH TOO:
 A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God (21).
 The foundation of lasting wealth is a strong relationship with God.
 If you are genuinely kingdom minded, you would be wealthy. Abraham A friend of God was old and blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1).
 Any person who loves God must never die young unless they choose to.
 Poverty is a sign that God is not involved.
 God is able to bless you and I abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all sufficiency/all we need, you will abound in every good works (2 Corinthians 9:8).
 Children of God, the blesser is God and he wants to bless you so that you will do good at all times.
 Father help me to know you. Bless you with all I need so that I may do Good to my family, church, nation and the world in Jesus name.

Prayer Points

1. Father in Heaven, give me a heart that seeks to know you fully above all else in Jesus name
2. Father give me great power and ability to get wealth and do good in Jesus name
3. Father I make myself available as a faithful steward in my career, ministry, finances, marriage and in all I do in Jesus name
4. Father give me grace to do good all the time in Jesus name

By managing well our responsibilities that we are given by God
Grow people after you
By remaining faithful till to the end
Being faithful even in the small small things
Now today as we conclude on this topic: FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP, we look at 10 KEYS TO MAINTAINING FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP

• Just completed a week of prayer

To develop an effective prayer life is simple.

A few pointers to this are:
1. Know God intimately (John 17:3)
2. Believe God i.e. Have faith in God or have the God kind of faith (Mark 11:22-24)
3. Forgive others (Mark 11:25-26)
4. Know God’s Will through His Word

 The bottom line is an effective prayer life flows out of our relationship with our Heavenly Father
 The best resource that I know of is “How to pray correctly” by Apostle Theo Wolmarans, Christian Growth Seminar

Scripture Points Notes
Mark 9:35-38 (NKJV)
:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
:37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
:38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
• Harvest is plentiful
• There are people waiting for us
• People that God has assigned to our lives
• People are is desperate circumstances
• Drowning in life
• Needing a Saviour
• Especially here where we are
• We have the answer
John 4:1-4 (NKJV)
:1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John
:2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),
:3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.
:4 But He needed to go through Samaria.
• This is the wonderful story of the Samaritan woman ant the well
• There are many truths and principles we can learn from this story
• Let’s look at on aspect of this story
• Tradition dictated that when the Jews travelled from Judea to Galilee
• They would take a detour to avoid Samaria
• Notice, Jesus had to go through Samaria
• He had an appointment, someone was about to have their encounter with Jesus
• There are people waiting for us as we carry the Good News of Jesus Christ
John 4:35-36 (NKJV)
:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
:36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
• The Harvest is ripe – don’t delay
• The Harvest is ripe – delayed harvest will result in the harvest perishing
• This is more than produce
• This is about people perishing
• Eternal death
• People whom God so loved
• People whom Christ died for
• Notice: Gathering the harvest for Christ is gathering “fruit for eternal life”.
Mark 9:37-38 (NKJV)
:37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
:38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
• Instruction from Jesus
• Pray to the Lord
• To send out labourers
• To pray for the labourers in the harvest field
• His harvest i.e. the Lord’s Harvest
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. :19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV)
:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
• A further instruction
• Continue to pray for labourers in God’s harvest filed
• Now we are told to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”
• In addition to praying – GO!
• We are told how to make disciples in these scriptures
• “’Go into all the world”’
Acts 1:4-5, 8 (NKJV)
:4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
• This is the Link
• Pentecost
• Outpouring of Holy Spirit
• Holy Spirit empowering
• Holy Spirit power
• Holy Spirit fire
Mark 16:20 (NKJV)
:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
• This is the result going
• Hallelujah!
• God is no respecter of persons, what He did with His first disciples He will also do with us
• Why?
Romans 8:11 (NLT)
:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Ephesians 1:16-20 (NLT)
:16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,
:17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
:18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
19: I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. (according to the working of His mighty power – NKJV) This is the same mighty power
:20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
• “The Spirit of God”
• “who raised Jesus from the dead”
• Lives in us
• Understand Who lives in us
• God’s Power in us, empowers us
• Empowers us for life
• Empowers us to “Go”
• When we “Go”, God goes with us and He works with us
• Pray, Yes
• And now Go, the Greater One lives in you
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
• This is how the first disciples felt in Mark 16:20
• This is also what God says to us as we Pray and Go!

INTRODUCTION

This month of May, we have been looking at the topic FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP. And during the course of this topic; we have learnt a number of things among others;

God gives us responsibilities at a time
Everything we have comes from God so (its God’s)
That faithful steward serves, work or does things even when no one is there to support or help them or when no one is there to see them but they do willingly.
We also learnt that a faithful steward is loyal, constant, trustworthy and dependable.
How can we know we are a faithful stewards

By managing well our responsibilities that we are given by God
Grow people after you
By remaining faithful till to the end
Being faithful even in the small small things
Now today as we conclude on this topic: FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP, we look at 10 KEYS TO MAINTAINING FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP

MAIN MESSAGE

Today we are going to talk briefly about the 10 keys that will help you and me to be able to maintain our being faithful stewardship.

The following are the keys;

– HUMILITY – Proverbs 15:33
Fearing God is an instruction to having wisdom. And Humility comes before honour.

Before God qualifies you to be a faithful steward, you must show humility. Humility of heart and deeds will cause God to honor you with great.

– FEAR OF GOD – Psalms 111:10
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. When you fear God you will have wisdom to handle everything in your care well. You will learn to care, value, and protect what God has entrusted in your hands. Then you will be a faithful steward.

– FAITHFULNESS – Matthew 25:28
God has invested in us the ability to multiply anything. We learn that when we fail to to put to good the ability God has invested in us, he will take even the little from you to give to him who has more. Unfaithful people will always give excuses.

We ought to have faithfulness for us to maintainor qualify to be called a faithful steward.

– SERVICE – Isaiah 1:19
Service to God is very important in our lives as children of God.

The bible tells us that if you are willing and obedient you and me will be eat the best in the land while you are still alive.

When you you offer a service to God genuinely and willingly, be assured that you will receive a reward. And when God rewards, it is always the best.

So for us to have the best, we must be able to be faithful stewards and be able to maintain the faithful stewardship.

– WISDOM – Proverbs 9:10
Wisdom is vital as the children of light. The bible says that we can only have wisdom when we start fearing the Lord. Without the fear of the Lord we can never have wisdom.

And when we have wisdom, will be able to manage what God has entrusted in our care well. We will be able to care, manage and protect because we have the fear of God(wisdom) in us. We will not misuse at all.

– TRUTH – John 14:6
We must have the element of truth in us all the time for us to be able to maintain or qualify to be faithful stewards. The word God says Jesus is the way the truth and the life. When we have truth in us that means we have Jesus in us.

In the absence of truth there is lies and then God is not involved at all.

– HONESTY
Honesty work hand in hand as truth, If we are to maintain the faithful stewardship, we must be honesty with ourselves and everything at all times.

When we are faithful and honesty, opportunities will come to us all the time

– INTEGRITY – 1Kings 9:4-5
If you walk in integrity of heart you will be established

Integrity is one key that you need to maintain faithful stewardship. If you don’t have integrity you will misuse your responsibilities, opportunity and slander everything and everyone.

It will help you to follow instruction when need be, it will also calls you to displine

– CHARACTER – Hebrews 6:17
Charater is also important in us. With good character, we will be to protect the investment of God in our care. If we don’t have good character you will change, when you are in needy you will be someone and when you have you are another person. But that is not the kind of character God wants

– OBEDIENCE – Genesis 6:14
Noah was obedient to God when there were no signs of the rains, he was able to obey God to make the ark.

A good and faithful steward obeys instructions. You do not need to ask questions just do as you are instructed. The bible also says obedience is better than sacrifice.

CONCLUSION

– We have come learn that God is looking for faithful stewards.

– And also we have learnt how we can be a faithful stewards and also how we can maintain faithful stewardship.

Now it is up to us to choose to be faithful stewards or not and also to decide to maintain or not but one thing for sure is there are consequences either way.

You choose wisely you will have positive consequences or otherwise.

The grace of God is available help us maintain to be a faithful stewards.

Prayer Points

1. Father, thank you for your word that’s come today in Jesus name

2. Father may you give me grace to maintain the faithful stewardship in me in Jesus name

SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 1:1-18.
Background
Welcome to June Our Month of Power of Prayer.

In Samuel 1:7 YEAR AFTER YEAR, Peninnah would Taunt Hannah as they went to the tabernacle (church). Each time Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not eat.

NOTE: Crying never changes anything neither does Hunger Strike.

In verse 9-10, for the first time Hannah stood up and went to pray and fast.
In deep anguish, crying bitterly as she PRAYED to the Lord.

If you are going through hard times, that is the time to PRAY, FAST and Make Serious commitment to God.
In Verse 11, she made a vow to the Lord saying if you give me a son, I will give him back to you.
Whatever you are going through, if you can pray, you will come out. Make a vow as a symbol of your commitment and God will answer speedily.

Stop Crying and Start Praying.

TYPES OF PRAYERS
According to Dr Theo Wolmarans in his book , How To Pray Correctly, He states that the bible talks about 10 different Kinds of Prayers. Just like each sport has its own rules, so each kind of prayers has different rule. You can not play golf or tennis with football rules.

Prayers of Supplication (1Timothy 2:1)
Prayers of Intercession
Prayers Thanks Giving
Prayers of Repentance (2Peter 3:9)
Prayers of Consecration (Psalm 51:10)
Prayers of Healing (Matthew 8:17)
Prayers of Warfare (Ephesians 6:11)
Prayers of Confession (Psalm 118:17)
Prayer of Authority (Ephesians 1:22)
Prayer of Enquiry (1 Samuel 30:8)

FOUR THINGS WE MUST kNOW ABOUT PRAYER

GOD ONLY HEARS OUR PRAYERS MADE IN FAITH NOT COMPLAINTS:
Year after year, Hannah would go to Shiloh (church) to complain, tell God how Panini would miss treat her, how that she was barren. (1 Samuel 1:12).

If you are suffering and they are encouraging you to PRAY and FAST, the possibility of coming out, are very slim. Hannah was tired of bareness to an extent of losing appetite for barbeque, buffet and drinks. All she wanted was a child. The rival mocked her. That pushed her to God in PRAYER. There is power in Power. (3-8).

To get God attention and our answer, we must base our prayers on the written word of God. God has exalted his WORD above his NAME (Psalm 138:2)

God will only answer prayers made in faith with reference to his word. All the thoughts, plans and promises of God are written down in the bible for us to make use of.

GOD TESTS OUR TOTAL DEPENDANCE ON HIM IN PRAYER:
In verse 9, she got up and went to pray this time not to complain. She prayed like a drunken woman even the priest Eli could not discern. That did not distract Hannah in prayer.

She cried bitterly to God in PRAYER to the Lord, God is the one who answers prayers.

For our prayers to be effective, we need also to vow to give God all the glory. Whatever, we get by prayer can only be kept by prayer.

God was just waiting for Hannah to make up her mind.

In the end Eli, spoke the priestly blessing on her (17), saying “GO IN PEACE”

Hannah gave birth to one of the greatest prophets, called SAMUEL.

Peninnah was giving birth to many children who made no IMPACT. While Hannah, labored in prayer and a great child of destiny was birthed.

It does not matter who has gone ahead, when your time comes, you will catch up and over take in Jesus name.

GOD CHANGES BITTER SITUATION WHEN WE PRAY

In Exodus 15:22-25, After Moses led the Israel (3million people) from the Red Sea into the Dessert of Shur, for three days they travelled into the desert, they could not find water. When they came to Marah, they find water and were so excited, you know that feeling. Yet there was another Big problem. The water was BITTER. The entire nation grumbled against MOSES.

Thank God for MOSES. HE PRAYED, CRIED and INTERCEEDED to the Lord (25). Immediately God showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became fit to drink.

Whatever bitter situation you are going through, If you can PRAY, you will come out in Jesus name

PRAYER TO GOD PREVENTS AND PRESERVES FROM DESTRUCTION
In Exodus 32, when the people saw that Moses had taken too long 40 days and 40 Nights with God at Mount Sinai, they told Aaron to make them a “Some gods/Golden Calf.

Aaron told them to contribute all the rings from ears of their wives, sons and daughters. He moulded the calf. They started worshipping the idol rather than God. This raised the wrath of God.

In verse 7 God told Moses to Go down the mountain. God was ready to rain his fierce anger and blaze against them to destroy them. But Moses interceded saying that what are you angry with your people. Nations will laugh at you God that you had an evil intention to slaughter your people in the dessert. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people.

In verse 14 God changed his mind or he repented of the evil he had thought to do against his people.

Moses brought strong reason before God and saved 3 million Israelites from the wrath of God as results of rebellion and idolatry.

For that husband who has gone astray, wife intercede, Man intercede for your wife, children, church and nation.

Finally, God will only hear our prayer made in faith not in complaint.

PRAYER POINTS

-Father in Heaven, answer me when I call in Jesus name
-Sweet Holy Spirit, teach me how to PRAY in Jesus name
-Father turn every bitter situation affecting negatively into positive in Jesus name
-Father I stand on behalf of my family and nation. Preserve and prevent us from destruction of any king in Jesus name