Month: February 2024

Exodus 23:25-27

Learning Outcomes

1. To understand spiritual stewardship as a relationship between the saved and God the master
2. To critically examine various forms of stewardship
3. To describe and appreciate the covenant blessing of God upon all who serve Him.

Text: And you shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless your bread, and your water; and I will take sickness away from the middle of you.

Introduction:

• The biblical doctrine of stewardship defines a man’s relationship to God. It identifies God as owner and man as manager.
• God makes man His co-worker in administering all aspects of our life. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
• It is a spiritual business in vineyard and a worthy business. Any service that promotes the Kingdom of the Father.

1. Understanding Spiritual Stewardship- Exodus 23:25a

And you shall serve the LORD your God………

• The key concept here is about You………You shall serve the Lord…. – Deut.6:13; 10;12,20; 11:13-14.  Deuteronomy 11:13,14– And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, … 
• It’s a function of your commitment and not dependent on others.

• It’s about you, a peculiar, unique, and specific service from you. – 1 Pet.2:9; 4:10; Eph.2:10. Ephesians 2:10- For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
• Because as different as we are, so also are our abilities, interests, talents, gifts, and personality; each uniquely perfect and beautiful, all intended for one purpose – to be used for his glory- Eph.1:6– To the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us; the one he loves.
• Discover where to serve. No one should be idle. Let no one says, ‘there’s nothing I can do’’. -Eph.1:3
• Offer the best of your service. Not any how service. Your best is a function of divine ratio- Gen.4:4- ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering,
• Not a competition but a complimentary service- 1 Cor.12:21; Phil. 2:3; Romans 12:3.

1 Cor.12:21– And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

• Serve sacrificially and with humility-1 Corinthians 4:7;

1 Corinthians 4:7; For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Philippians 2:3-Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

• God blessed individual not collective or group- 1 Cor.3:14-15; Colossians 3:23-24

1 Cor.3:14-15– If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Colossians 3:23-24-Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Serve the Lord, Your God…….

• It is a God/kingdom driven service- Deut. 6:13; Matt.4:10; 6:33- God only.
• God dictate the pace and you follow- John 15:16- You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
• God is the caller, and giver of all trust (gifts)- Matt.20:1; Matt.25:14
• God recruit every willing soul at will- Matt.20:1,3,5,7.
• God is the faithful rewarder- Matt.20:2,4,8.

• Covenant Platform for Spiritual Stewardship. – Exodus 23:25a

Serving God shouldn’t be done for recognition or praise; it shouldn’t be self-seeking – not because you want something from him in return. Serve selflessly, seek his kingdom and every other thing shall be added unto you.

• Prayer platform– Praying kingdom priority prayers; interceding for Church and the kingdom of God; secret agonising – Ezekiel 22:30; Matt. 6:6, 18; Isaiah 59:16
• Ministry platform– your diverse gift is to serve in different ministry of God’s kingdom. Your service to God is exemplified by your actions in your church, family, community, and place of work. – Rom.12:6-8
• Mission platform– Witnessing and reaching out to the lost. – John 15:16, 21:12-16; Matt.28:18-20; Luke 14:23; John 4:29

AFollow up platform- Follow-up is the parental care given to new converts to bring them to spiritual maturity and fruitfulness. Follow-up is “spiritual pediatrics.” Newborn babies do not grow automatically. They must have love, food, care and training. – Col.3:16; Heb.3:13; 1 Thes.5:11

• Secret labour/ designated task
• Giving/ financial platform

• Covenant Blessing for Spiritual Stewardship Exodus 23;25b-27

And He will bless your bread and water.

There is nowhere you find how incomparably profitable serving God is.

1. Covenant of Abundance and Sustenance- 2 Cor.9:10; Job.36:11
2. Covenant of longevity and sound health– Exo 15:26; Deut. 7:15; Matt.9:35-38
3. Covenant of Productivity and fruitfulness- Mal. 3:11; Début 7:14,28:4
4. Covenant of Fulfilment
5. Covenant of Protection, covering and security

Conclusion

Continuous understanding of spiritual stewardship guarantees sustainable partnership with God that unleash divine blessings upon His children.

MALACHI 3:6; PSALM 89:34

INTRODUCTION

Our teaching this morning seek to understand the relationship between the God of covenant and His promises to us, the children.

1. THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD- ECCL.3:1-8

Nothing in this world is constant but change.

• Time changes because circumstances, in the course of time, change.
• Time itself as a quantity in minutes, hours, and days, etc.  is indifferent. However, the nature of things is such that when time progresses, things change and so time is said to change or bring changes!

There is time for everything.

• The power of time over human destiny is best summarised in Eccl. 3:1-8:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Everything answers for definite ending- Gen.8:6, 13; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.

And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: Gen.8:13

For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD- Ezekiel 12:25

• knowing that any bad/challenging situation will eventually be in your rearview mirror rather than your windshield. – THIS TOO SHALL PASS
• THE UNCHANGING GOD

Answers not to the changing seasons and time- James 1:17; Psalm 107:27

• God remains unchanged.
• He’s unaffected by time.
• Time has no effect on who He is and what His plans and purposes are: Jer.29:11; 2 Pet.3:8; James 1:17
• The changes time brings are of no consequence to God: – Psalm 33:11- The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations (Ps 33:11).
• This is the God who has shepherded us through the 1^st 5 months of this year.  And He is unhanging and unchangeable through all time!

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away- Luke 21:33; Matt.24:35

Makes everything beautiful per time- Eccl.3:11; Deut.32:4

• Holds and control the season.
• THE UNCHANGING COVENANT PROMISES- PSALM 105:8-10; LAM 3:22; HEB.6:13-17
• Time moved forward. Generations changed. New personalities took the centre stage. But the covenant did not go out of date or lose validity.
• Yahweh remembered and renewed it with each of the successive heirs to the covenant and in more formalized forms in order of deepening significance as it progressed through time!
• God’s commitment to our welfare and salvation is without question. He has made that clear

by a binding agreement – His covenant with us!

• And there’s no way time can weaken or undermine this covenant. It’s guaranteed by God’s own faithfulness. He remembers it forever:
• And that is an assurance to subsequent heirs to the everlasting Abrahamic covenant, currently you and me: – Heb. 6:13-17
• Therefore, God’s unchanging Covenant promises.
• Answer for all situations
• Relevant for all seasons
• Delivers for every child of God.

CONCLUSION

Key to the unchanging covenant and unchanging God

• Righteousness; That’s a life principle on which to build your own life! Righteousness stands a person in good stead both when he’s alive or when he’s dead. His children will enjoy the fruits of his righteous life even after he exits this life. ( Ps112:1-3; Prov. 20:7)
• Fear of God: Luke 1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
• He only asks you to keep faith with Him, and you will know that He is YAHWEH (I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE); He changes not (Mal. 3:6). Amen!

David observed in his old age: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Ps. 37:25).

PSALM 16: 8-11

Introduction

• Everything that has a beginning must have an end. So also, is the current year.
• It is natural that the zeal and hope of man diminishes as the year wind down
• The good news is that God is not done with you (us)- individually and congregation.
• The joy that comes from God surpasses the happiness that the world offers.

Understanding the unending Joy

The unending joy has some unique features and characteristics that distinguishes it from what the world and man can offer. Unending joy continues forever or indefinitely.

1. Unending joy originates from God and God is the author- Neh.8:10
2. Unending joy doesn’t answer to the season of the world.
3. Unending joy is from within, and it is independent of external circumstances- Psalm 16:9; Prov.17:22; 1 Peter 1:6-8
4. Unending joy is the manifestation of spirit-life and beyond the physical state of mind- Gal.5:22; 2 Cor.4:7-9; 14-17

The God of unending Joy

Whatever is unending originates from God and only God. The God of unending joy is

1. Unending- Psalm 90:2; 102:27 (25-27); Rev.1:8; Isaiah 46:10
2. Unchanging- Heb.1:12 (10-12); 13:8
3. Timeless and limitless- 1 Tim.1:17; Rev.1:17-18- The psalmist makes an astounding claim, “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.”- Psalm 119:89.  Forever refers to a period of indefinite time. It is timeless.  But it is also settled. It stands, it is fixed.

Accessing the unending Joy- Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 12:3

The fullness of joy is found in no one else, it is available to all yet every individual must learn how to access and enjoy it in full:

1. Looking up to Jesus always and in all situations – this speaks of surrenderness and helplessness in self- Psalm 16:8
2. Cultivating and sustaining being in the presence of God- Psalm 100:4-5; Psalm 51: 10-11
3. Praising and Rejoicing in God always- 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Psalm 16:9; Heb. 12:28; Isaiah 35:10; Isa 51:11

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

INTRODUCTION

1Thes. 5:16-18 contain three commands of God:

▪Rejoice Always (Vs. 16)

▪Pray without Ceasing (Vs. 17)

▪Give thanks in Everything (Vs. 18)

They are 3 seemingly impossible commands but they are God’s will for His Children.

1. Rejoice Always (Vs 16)

It doesn’t mean that we should deny our feelings and wear a smile all the time, but to focus on the final outcome of whatever we’re passing through (Heb. 12:11; Matt. 5:11-12; James 1:2-3.

Rejoicing always is a conscious attitude of contentment, hope, and happiness that comes from deliberately focusing on Christ and the eternal treasures that we have received from Him. (Phil. 4:4; Acts 5:41, 16:25)

How Can We Develop The Habit of Rejoicing Always?

a. Focus on the riches that God has freely given us in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14).

b. Walk in The Spirit

▪Joy is one of the manifestations of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

c. Sing soul-lifting songs that talk of God’s goodness, mercy, grace, and love.

▪As we sing, our mind is set on the things above and joy fills our heart.

2. Pray Without Ceasing (Vs. 17)

It doesn’t mean that we must pray every waking moment. Neither Paul nor the Lord Jesus did that!

▪Prayer is communication between man and God. Praying without ceasing means being in communication with God always, through the Holy Spirit inside of us (asking Him, listening to Him, and hearing from Him all the time).

Our prayers should be fervent and persistent (Matt. 7:7).

▪Like a friend who came at night to ask for a loaf of bread (Lk. 11:5-13).

▪Like the widow who kept bothering the unjust judge (Lk.18:1-8).

Rejoicing and praying without ceasing are related because it is through prayer that we can lay hold of the riches that we have in Christ, which are the source of true joy (Rom. 8:31-32).

How Can We Develop The Habit Of Praying Without Ceasing?

a. Recognize your need to depend on the Lord in every situation (Prov. 3:5-6).

b. Send up short prayers whenever you can. Don’t procrastinate prayers..

c. Spend time in God’s Word and pray the Word back to God.

3. Give Thanks In Everything (Vs. 18).

Thankfulness originates in the will and not in the feeling.

▪You don’t have to wait untill you feel like giving thanks before you give thanks.

▪You have to be willing, desire it and be ready to do it.

▪It is a matter of faith and hope that God is working it out (Rom. 8:28).

How Can We Develop The Habit Of Giving Thanks In Every Situation?

a. Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty And Goodness In All Things.

▪He knows the end from the beginning and makes provision before the need arises (Gen. 50:20; Exd.15:23-25.

b. Thankfulness will be our habit when trust in God is our habit.

c. Open your mind to learn because there’s always something God wants us to learn from all situations.

CONCLUSION

To experience a life of unending Thanksgiving, you must develop a habit of trusting God, especially at difficult times.

▪To keep up a habit of trusting God, you must develop a habit of contentment and hope, instead of grumbling and murmuring.

▪To obey these 3 seemingly impossible commands, we must dwell in Christ (Vs. 18). As we learn to abide in Him and trust in Him to work through us, we will progressively become conformed to His image.

▪Jesus was always rejoicing, always praying, and always thankful.

▪Being in Him and relying on Him are the keys to becoming like Him in these qualities.

May the Lord help us so to do in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prov. 4:18; Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-22

Introduction

Having looked at 3 previous lessons on our theme interpretation, today we shall be looking at the topic  ”Glorious Light”

Aim: to know, to understand and to experience the dimension and magnitude of what God have for us in His word (Prov.4:18) this year and season.

Proverbs 4:18, ESV: But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Proverbs 4:18, KJV: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Proverbs 4:18, NLT: The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.

Truth in God’s wisdom in our theme text for the year reveals that the path we are called to walk in is compared to bright, straight, safe roads lit by light of dawn, brighter and brighter until it bursts into full day.

 The promised light of God is required for the journey of glorious next level. So we have assurance in God’s word that it shall come to pass.

• Psalm 89:34- My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
• Number 23:19- “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

WHICH FORM OF LIGHT ARE WE LIKEN TO? PROVERBS 4:18

• A shining star
• Ever bright light
• Ever shining light
• Progressively increasing light
• A growing Light
• Light full of glory
• Sustainable light

The word of God is yea and amen. So when God speaks either in His written or spoken words. It is as good as done.

Understanding the Glorious light and its Implication-   Isaiah 60

• Jesus is this light that shines in and through us, it is defined as “the true light” (John 1:9). He called Himself “the light of the world,” and said, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The apostle Paul called believers the “light in the Lord” and exhorted us to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).  
• The apostle John wrote that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). He added, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). As believers walk in the light, others see our good works and glorify our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).
• The command of God from our text today is to Arise. This is the instruction for the elect/righteous. Once will yield to that instruction, our light will surely shine.

PRAYER: I speak to every life listening to the word of God in my mouth this morning ‘’ its your time to arise now in Jesus’name’’

• God design for everyone is his/her light ” for thy light has come”. All of us can shine our light, such light is complimentary to one another, not antagonistic or competitive. The measure of your light you see is proportional to your degree of shining
• The Glorious light is a revelational light. The light that has capacity to see beyond darkness (vs 2; John 1:5). It encompasses foresight, hindsight, and insight- Eph. 5:13
• It is an impactful light- 

Nations will come to your light,    and kings to the brightness of your dawn- vs 3

Through the light of God, men of the world will be imparted because of God’s deposit in you and you will be attractive to them. ( Daniel 11:32; Matt.5:16). The righteous are not “to be seen of men,” and win their praise, but to win men, through our use of the light which we know to be not our own, to glorify the Giver of the light. Isaiah 58:8

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

• It is a directional light- 60:3, Isa.58:11
• It is a protectional light -Isa. 60: 19a,20a
• It guarantees today, tomorrow and the future- vs 19b, 20b

HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THE GLORIOUS LIGHT- 2 Cor.3:18

1. Drawing closer to Him- James 4:8-10; 2 Cor.3:18a;

Our path will brighten, not because of any radiance in ourselves, but in proportion as we draw nearer and nearer to the Fountain of heavenly radiance.

2. Walking in Faith with Him will open our spiritual eyes as we allow Him to lead us
3. Keep Beholding Jesus- 2 Cor.3:18a; 1 Cor.13:12; 2 Cor.4:4,6