BIBLE STUDY MATERIAL

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH

CENTER OF GOD’S FAVOUR

ALIMOSHO MEGA WORSHIP CENTER

WEEKLY MANNA            10^th February, 2015

THEME: CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING OF STEWARDSHIP

TEXT: 1 COR. 4:2

 

INTRODUCTION: Christians that are heavenly minded need to examine this type of teaching if we are to please God in this life and not regret hereafter. To please God in every area, we need to know and imbibe the scriptural revelation regarding Christian Stewardship. In this series, we shall examine Stewardship in the following areas: Life –What you have received; Time- What you have been allotted; Talents- What you have been given to use; Gospel- What you have been instructed to do; Possession- What has been entrusted to you and Money- What you have laboured for.

I           STEWARDSHIP: DEFINITION:

1          The word STEWARD in Greek is Oikonomon, meaning to distribute, dispense and manage something or resources on behalf of the owner.

2                    Christian Stewardship can therefore be defined as, a practice of systematic and proportionate giving of life, time, abilities and material possessions based on the conviction that they are from God and meant to be used in His service for the benefit and expansion of His kingdom.

3                    It is a divine-human partnership, with God as the senior Partner. It is a way of living, the recognition of God’s ownership of oneself, power, and one’s possessions.

Christian Stewardship is also the faithful use of these resources for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom in this world.

II         FOUNDATION FOR STEWARDSHIP:

1.         The basic foundation for Christian stewardship is the truth that God is the owner of everything.Ex.19:5; Lev.25:23; 1 Chrn19:14; Ps.24:1, 2; 50:10; John1:1, 3;

2.            God owns everything and man is a trustee and caretaker over what He owns.

A         God owns everything through creation-Gen.1:1

            -           Sea and Land                          -           Ps.95:5

            -           Silver and Gold                       -           Haggai 2:8                

            -           Man and Living Creatures      -           Ps. 50:10

            -           Heaven, Earth, All Things      -           Ps. 89:11; Isaiah 66:1-2.

B         God Owns Everything Through Redemption

By coming, suffering, dying, resurrecting and shedding His blood to save us from darkness and godless eternity, we belong to Him- 1 Pet. 1: 18-19; 1Cor.6:19-20

III        CHRISTIANS ARE STEWARDS

A steward is a manager, caretaker of another man’s property. We are all managers of God’s property, God is the real owner. Our keeping of God’s property is temporary. He is going to demand the account of our stewardship. As a Christian; you must accept the three things as required of every steward:

            A         Acknowledge your stewardship-11 Cor.8:5

                        Accepting God as Owner, we as stewards and our possessions as loans.

            B         Stewards must be faithful-1 Cor.4:2; Matt.25: 14-30

            C         Accountability will come one day- Rom 4:12; 11Cor.5:10; Lk 12: 42-48;

CONCLUSION: All Christians are stewards of all they have and possessed and are to watch over them with the fear of God who has deemed it feet to put them in charge.

REV EVANG.GODSON C.S. IROATU

Pastor-in-Charge

A.G.C.: 33, Fajumobi/Ishola Makinde Street, Alimosho,Lagos Tel.:+234 803 356 3747; +234 805 598 3137;

E-Mail: godsonrichman@gmail.com; globalevangelist@yahoo.com;

Website: www.facebook.com/godsonrichman; wwwgodsoniroatu.blogspot.com 

TURNING LABOUR TO FAVOUR Part 3

We shall continue with our text in Luke 5:1-8. As we examined the last time in part 2 of this article, Peter surrendered his boat for Jesus’ use. This act was rewarded by Jesus in the next verses as we shall consider today.

Jesus showed gratitude to Peter for donating his boat towards His ministry’s evangelistic outreach. He is still in the habit of showing gratitude for people who sacrifice for His kingdom expansion. This He does through divine healing, deliverance, breakthrough and diverse miracles, signs and wonders. There is no amount of sacrifice you make for God’s kingdom that will go unrewarded. Whatever a man sows, he shall surely reap the fruits. Peter’s fishing experience and expertise could not fetch him results but donating his boat towards God’s kingdom work did. In a bid to show Peter gratitude, He, the commander of all creations commanded the fishes that have gone on excursion or leave to terminate their leave and excursion because of a reward that He want to give to Peter. He ordered them to gather for fellowship where Peter’s net will be launched. When He saw them gathering there, He then gave Peter an instruction and direction on how to prosper. I pray for you today, that God will command your miracles to gather around you in Jesus Name. For someone who will shout his or her own amen aloud, this month, God will give you divine direction on where to launch and make wealth in Jesus Name. Amen!

Jesus Commanded Peter to Launch into the deep. His command to Peter who was a master in fishing with a doctorate degree in active fishing was a mess of Peter’s experience, expertise and skill. Jesus was saying to Peter just as He is saying to you reading this article, it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of the Lord who showeth mercy. It is not your expertise or experience but God who favours. May God turn your labour to favour this week in Jesus Name. Peter may be experience, but the master of ocean and all aquatic creatures was around. He laid Peter’s certificate aside to do what he want to do. He has power over creatures. Launching into the deep was all that Peter needed to make his day but he actually need divine direction. May God give you divine direction. When the direction came, Peter started arguing with Jesus. I guess, he would have told Jesus ‘Look here Oga, this is not preaching but fishing. You may be a master in preaching and crusade management but I am a master in fishing and understand the time and season to catch them. Am the one to instruct you here’. Peter gave several excuses why he will not obey this command. The excuse ranges from having spent all day and night looking for fish to now may not be the right time to catch fishes. It is only the Lord who knows the right time to catch fishes and where they are. May you not argue with God over His instructions to you. Men have disobeyed God and rejected a divine instruction on them and have ended in regret. God demands obedient to His words for us to receive our miracles.

Peter obeyed the word of Jesus and had a great harvest. Peter said I will hold you by your word and cast my net. The day we start holding God by His words, that day our life will witness tremendous changes. Peter trusted Him and was not disappointed. I pray for you that your faith in God will not bring shame to you. He will not allow you to be disappointed or disgraced. As you will be obeying His instructions, may you receive the fruit of obedience in Jesus name, Amen! The net was filled with fishes but no single fish fell off even when the net was torn. I pray for you that the blessings God will give you, no matter the treats on you, none of them will be lost in Jesus name. Men that may have despised you or make mockery of you will gather to celebrate you when you day breaks. Peter beckoned on the other fisher men to come and help him gather his blessings. Your blessings in the coming week will be so big that other people will be hired by you for a fee that will be determined by you to help you increase your greatness. They will become your employees. I see God giving you miracles that are bigger than your hand. Receive them now in Jesus name. Amen!

Peter knelt before Him in reverence. I pray for you as you read this that God will give you a miracle that will make both you and your family and friends to come before the Lord in reverence and acknowledge your sinfulness.

TURNING LABOUR TO FAVOUR Part 2

Our theme for this month is DIVINE EXPLOIT. Last week, as we looked at Luke 5:1-11, we considered the story of the fisher men who were retired because of their fruitless labour. They could not catch any fish despite their expertise. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy-Rom.9:16 KJV

Labour demands physical exertion of strength but Favour shows the appearance of mercy and grace. It is not the amount of work you do that determines wealth but the favour that God breathe into it. It is not who started first but who did the best and got to the end. God will turn your labour to favour this month in Jesus Name.

I pray for you today that the Lord will show you mercy. In this third month of the year, Jesus will appear to you before you lose hope. May His grace and favour find you before it’s too late. In the fruitlessness of their work, a hope appeared. Jesus came around their work place to fulfil His mission on earth. May He visit you in your work place this month and cause a change in your life and business in Jesus Name, Amen!May He pay a visit to you at home, in your business place, school, marriage, health and other areas of your life in Jesus Name! He had need of the empty boat. May He find you empty enough to use.

Jesus needs an EMPTY life to operate. He won’t come in if it is already filled up with other personalities and cares of this world. You need to empty your life for Him to come in and fill you. Empty your life of Sin, dirty life style, malice and hatred, anger, immorality, habitual stealing, lies and all other life style that doesn’t glorify Him. He is looking for empty vessels to use to accomplish His mission on earth. When He saw the empty boat, He used it. If He sees you available, He will use you. I pray for you that you will make yourself available for Him to use in Jesus Name.

He separated the boat from the land. He asked Peter to push a little into the sea. Jesus always looks for men who are separated from the crowd to use. He never wanted any contact with the crowd, so He moved dipper into the sea where the crowd cannot come. He is always interested in people who lead a separated life. When you go dipper towards the river which symbolizes the depth of the Holy Spirit, you become visible to the crowd, but if you stay with the crowd, no one will notice you. You need to separate yourself from people who pull you down spiritually. There are men who demoralize others, identify them and flee from them. Look for spiritual giants; they don’t stay on the land but in the ocean of the Holy Ghost leading a spirit filled life.

The boat belongs to Simon Peter and He was willing to release it for the Lord’s service. Peter donated towards evangelism and missions. He was willing to sponsor the mass evangelism vision and ministry of Jesus. God is looking for men who have the mind of Peter to release their Cars, Houses, Properties, Money, Intellect, Talents and Gifts for the use of Kingdom work expansion. Peter never struggled with releasing his boat. He never argued with Jesus and never questioned why He should use his own instead of the other one or what He wants to do with his boat. He simply obeyed the Lord’s instruction and moved the boat a little into the depth of the river. May you allow Him access into your life in such a way that He can take possession of your properties for His own use in Jesus Name, Amen! Don’t struggle with your Tithe, First Fruit, Church and Sunday School Offering. Don’t hide your talent and gifts in the church. He needs them to enlarge His kingdom. If God is leading you towards sponsoring gospel programs on Radio or Television after reading this article, kindly get in touch with me. To be continued….

TURNING LABOUR TO FAVOUR

TURNING LABOUR TO FAVOUR

In this month, I see you marching into your open door, breakthrough, healing, salvation, and heaven approved marriages, fruitfulness and all that you desire in Jesus Name. Your LABOUR will turn to FAVOUR. Labour comes by manual work but favour comes by divine work. I see God cancelling the ‘L’ in your life this month and replacing them with ‘F’. The L represents Lost, being Late,

Our theme for this month is DIVINE EXPLOIT.

In Luke 5:1-11,

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.

2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Jesus met some fishermen exploiting the sea for a living. All their efforts from morning to night could not yield anything meaningful. You may have been struggling to succeed with your own strength, but by strength shall no man prevail (1Sam2:9). I pray for you that divinity will step into your struggle and exchange your failure with success, your weakness with strength and your hardship with favour in Jesus Name.

The men were retired for the day because of fruitless labour. I pray for you even if you have retired, or lost hope on your expectations, may I announce to you today that there is hope for you. There is hope of a tree even if it be cut down; it shall sprout again (Job 14:7). So in this month, your faithlessness and hopelessness cannot stop the manifestation of God in your life. I stand on the anointing of my calling to prophecy on you that you will arise again. There is hope for you. At your retirement, you can still make it in life. It is written that even in your old age you can still bear fruits (Ps. 90:14). I see a woman who has got to menopause becoming pregnant. It is menoPAUSEbut God Almighty is seeing menoPLAY and He is touching the button of your menstrual circle, saying it shall play again. There is an unction coming on you now as you read this article, receive the anointing to become fruitful now and receive the power to conceive in Jesus Name. Even if men has called you barren, fruitless and a burial ground because of several miscarriages, I invoke the power of the Almighty to come and over shadow you now as He did to Mary in Jesus name. I see a man, who lost his job and is hopeless because of several fruitless attempts to get work getting connected to an unbelievable miraculous job. This month of March, several jobs are waiting for you to choose from.

The men laboured in vain that day because they could not catch even a fish. I pray for you this month, that you will find favour in the month of March and whatever you lay your hands to do that will glorify God shall be blessed in Jesus Name. They were expert fishermen, knowing the right time to launch for a catch yet they couldn’t get any one. It was as if all the fishes had meeting and agreed not to come out all through the day and night. May Iprophecy to you that no matter the evil agreement against you this month in your place of work, school and business, the Lord will cause you to walk in favour. Every gang up against you shall scatter by fire. The Lord will cause you to excel in favour…….To be contd…