REWARDS OF EVANGELISM

MEMORY VERSE: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever, Daniel 12:3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 37, John 16, Prov 13, Eph 6

One activity that attracts God blessings is evangelism. It is guaranteed that anyone who witnesses about Christ regularly will inherit glory. How do I know these? Proverbs 11:30 says he that winneth soul is wise. According to Proverbs 3:35 only the wise (soul winners) shall inherit glory. Not only that Daniel 12:3 says and they that be wise (soul winners) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. Anyone who will shine for Jesus must love soul winning.
When I first began to go to attend my present church , my attendance was nothing to write home about. There was this lady from the evangelism team who kept on calling me and encouraging me to attend church. Gradually, my attendance improved I began to attend church regularly although I was still missing Sunday school service. During one of our mid week services, something just led me to look in the direction of this sister (sister that was encouraging me to come to church) and the Holy Spirit said I should empty my pockets because of her. If I am to be honest, I felt very uncomfortable with this. Not because I had much money in my pocket, but because it could lead to embarrassment. I thought this sister might think that I am trying to lure her with money or something so I almost refused but the Holy Spirit encouraged me. I did what I was told and I handed it to her in an envelope. I also begged not to open it in the church but wait till she gets home. As I got home, my phone rang and I picked it up .It was this sister crying on the phone. Immediately I knew the Lord had met an urgent need in her life. Do you know this sister was the first person to get married in that church?

When you are fond of witnessing about Jesus, He will be fond of proving Himself in your life. After I gave my life to Christ I began to witness too. There was this particular sister in my place of work who smokes. I began to encourage her and witness to her. To the glory of God she stopped smoking and began to attend services more regularly. Several months later, I left work very hungry and i had nothing to eat at home. Till today I can’t explain why I was that hungry but I was just unusually very hungry. While I was on my way home my phone rang,lo and behold it was this sister at work. She said she had just finished preparing this delicious African soup and something just kept telling her call Sam. I knew that was the Holy Spirit at work so I said no problem. As I was about to disconnect the call, she asked if I had anything to eat the soup with and I said no. Around twenty five minutes later, this lady arrived with this soup and pounded yam (African food). She said something that day I will never forget. She said she tried to ignore the voice but the voice kept coming back. She said the voice was so persistent that she could not even eat so she had to bring it first. I thanked her and she left. I descended on this pounded yam and the Lord took glory.

KEYWORD: When you are fond of witnessing about Jesus, He will be fond of proving Himself in your life

REWARDS OF HOSPITALITY PART 2

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ex 10, Luke 13, Job 28, 1 Cor 18
Hebrews 13:2 says be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
BIBLE VERSES: 2 Kings 8:1-6
In part 1 of these series, we discussed about one of the rewards of hospitality. In 2 Kings 4:8-17 is the story of the great Shunamite woman and Elisha. This woman took it upon herself to host the man of God every time he passed by. After a while she took her hospitality to another level by making a small upper room on the wall for Elisha so that he can also spend the night. Unknown to this woman, the God of Elisha was taking note of all these. Few weeks before a major famine broke out in Israel, the Lord sent Elisha to inform this woman that there was going to be famine in the land for seven years and she needed to leave, 2 Kings 8:1-6. She obeyed the man of God and moved to Philistine. This was how God fed her during famine. When she came back after the famine, the Lord ensured that everything that belonged to her was giving back to her. All the produce from her land for the last seven years was giving back to her all because the God of Elisha decided to repay her back for her hospitalities.
Sometimes back I had challenges at work and was out of work for almost three months. During this period, I could not keep up with some bill payments. One morning I received a letter giving me ten working days to pay a particular bill or face court action. I turned to God and began to cry to Him. The tenth working day fell on a Friday and failure to pay the bill by 3pm the next Monday would automatically result in court action. The Sunday before the Monday, a particular brother who had been promising to visit visited me. When he arrived, I went to make him a cup of tea as it was very cold. I could have offered him some hot snacks too but I had none at home and had no money to buy any. To make matters worse, I had an almost empty can of milk to make tea with. As I was about to add part of the little milk left to the tea, the Holy Spirit nudged me to add all the milk in the can. The question is if I use all the milk (little milk) in the can to make tea for him, where will I get milk for my tea? I obeyed and decided not to drink tea. The brother enjoyed the tea and we chatted. When he was about to leave, he handed me some notes. I thanked him, we prayed and he left. Later when I checked, the money he gave to me not only covered the bill but was enough to get myself some snacks and at least two cans of milk. As we discussed yesterday, at times opportunities to practice hospitality precedes a breakthrough. The opportunity to host this brother preceded the answer to my prayer request. Not only that, God used that little cup of tea to provide for me during famine.
KEY WORD: Hospitality feeds during famine.

REWARDS OF HOSPITALITY PART 1

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ex 9, Luke 12, Job 27, 1 Cor 13
Hebrews 13:2 says be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares
When we talk of success keys, we mention things like diligence, vision, goal setting, patience, e.t.c. One key you never hear people talk about is hospitality.  The truth of the matter is a fellow who is good at hospitality stands a better chance of reaching the top before a hardworking fellow. The bible says a man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men, Proverbs 18:16. Revelations 3:20 says behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. The question is why will Jesus stand at the door and knock if not that He yearns for hospitality? I pray the Lord will open our eyes in Jesus name.
Hebrews 13:2 says be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Asides from the fact that you stand a very good chance of entertaining angels when you host people; there are others rewards for practicing hospitality. When you search through the scriptures, you will find out that an opportunity to host guests precedes major breakthroughs. The opportunity to host four thousand men not counting women and children with seven bread and a few little fish preceded the breakthrough of seven large baskets of breads and fish, Matthew 15:32-39.  The opportunity to host men of God also precedes major breakthrough. When I said men of God, I am referring to all ministers of gospel, all children of God – both men and women. I am not talking of people who preach A and do B, I am talking of real children of God. In 2 Kings 4:8-17 is the story of the great Shunamite woman. She was very wealthy but had no child and to make matters worse her husband was very old. An opportunity to host a prophet preceded her breakthrough. She started by inviting the man of God for lunch from time to time. She took her hospitality to new level by making a small upper room on the wall for the man of God to rest after eating lunch. One day while Elisha was sitting in the room she made, he called her and asked her for what she wanted. Nine months later, she became the mother of a baby boy. The widow of Zarapheth had been crying to God for provisions during the famine but nothing seems to be happening, 2 Kings 17:8-16. The more she cried, the more her situation got worse because her food supplies kept on going down. An opportunity to host a man of God with her last meal presented itself. She took the opportunity and what was meant to be her last meal became the first of many. Abraham and Sarah waited patiently for twenty five years for the promise of a child. They did everything they knew how to do but there was no result. They must have prayed, fasted, sown special seeds and nothing seems to be happening. On a faithful day, an opportunity to host three strangers presented itself. As they would normally do, they welcomed and fed them. They took very good care of them .Unknown to them, right in there living room was the Most High God sitted and enjoying their hospitality, Genesis 18:1-18. A month later Sarah conceived and nine months later, the promise of a male child materialized.
PRAYER POINT: Father, please open my eyes so I will not miss the opportunity that will precede my long awaited breakthrough

THE REWARDS OF PERSISTENCE

Romans 2:7 says to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:

In Matthew 15:22-28 is a story we all know. A woman came to Jesus about the condition of her daughter. The daughter was demon possessed and things were going out of hands. Despite all she was subjected to, she stayed and continued to ask for help, Jesus prayed and her daughter was healed. From this story there are one or two things to learn about persistence. Firstly, when you are persistent at something, those who ignore you will begin to notice to you. At first Jesus seem to ignore her to test her faith but because she was persistent Jesus had no option than to notice her. People around blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:42-56 knew him but they never gave him attention. Although Bartimaeus was at the road usually begging he was invisible, but immediately he began to persistently cry for help people began to notice him. Elisha and Gehazi in 2 kings 8:4-17 had been going to the house of the great Shunamite woman to eat but they noticed nothing, but as she persistently fed them and looked after them, one day the man of God noticed that she had everything money can buy but lacked one thing only God can give which was a child. Secondly, when you persistently knock on any door, the door will eventually open. The Great Shunamite woman kept on looking after the prophet and at a point she received her breakthrough. Everyone kept on telling Bartimaeus to shut up but he persisted and he received his sight. The woman in Matthew 15 did not take no for answer and at last her daughter was delivered.

Thirdly, when you are persistent those who have turned you to a laughing stock will later congratulate you on your breakthrough. Because of the woman's persistence, Jesus recognized her and congratulated her on her persistence. After Bartimaeus received his sight, when he shouted praise God those that were telling him to keep quiet were the first to shout Hallelujah. Romans 2:7 says to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. Persistence in doing good works brings rewards.
It does not matter the number of times you have failed at that endeavor, persist in making efforts and one day you will breakthrough. God may have assigned a task or two to you and whilst you are putting all your efforts into it, no one seems to notice but I can assure that your time has come today in Jesus name, amen!

ADVICE: Persist in that endeavor because a day is coming when the world will notice you, you will breakthrough and those who doubted you will congratulate you.

DROP THOSE EXCUSES

Wednesday 22 August                  Bible in one year : Acts 25-28

Memorise: Therefore thou are inexcusable, O man , whatsoever thou art that judgest : for wherein thou judgest another,thou condemnest thyself;for thou that judgest doest the same things. Romans 2:1

Read: Exodus:10-16

After his experience of the supernatural and God introducing Himself to  Moses, he was given specific assignment.He objected with reasons but they were not accepted.From this we learn that when God has decided to send you on an assignment, no excuse is good enough. You will notice that the more Moses excused himself from embarking on the assignment,the angrier God became (Exodus 4:13-14). Making excuses to avoid doing what God has assigned to you  will easily put you on the wrong side of God’s judgement. Excuses can move you from God’s right hand to His left,from favor to disfavor, from blessings to curses. Has the Lord giving you an assignment and you are piling up reasons for not obeying? You are toying with fire.After Moses saw “God’s red eyes”, he dumped his excuses. Drop those excuses and comply with your divine mandate.

When you look at the excuses people give for not ob
eying God, they can be classified as feelings of inadequacy,ignorance ,pride,fear, unbelief ,etc. For instances,Moses felt inadequate in himself to go before Pharaoh but God told him, “I will go with you” (Exodus 3:10-12). Whenever God gives you assignment, He does not leave you alone to do it. He is there with you to supply what you lack.So ideally,every assignment is a joint venture between God and the one assigned to do it. Do you feel inadequate? The One who is assigning you will back you up.If it bothers on ignorance that means there is something you don’t know that will be required of you in performing  that assignment.In Moses’s case, he did not know how to introduce God to the elders of Israel but God told him how to go about it.If only you ask the Lord, He will give you the knowledge you require or direct you to where to get it.Don’t say , “I can’t go because i am not educated” because the Greatest Teacher is ready to supply all you need to know if only you can ask Him, and sit at His feet to be taught.If you feel too big for the assignment,that is pride, and that can easily bring judgement on you. Nobody is bigger than the assignment God gives to him or her.How can a national elder or provincial pastor be sent to pastor a parish of 50 people? If that is what God is saying, run immediately to do it. The most unattractive assignment gets the biggest pay form God. If your refusal is out of fear and unbelief,examine the attributes and abilities of the One sending you. It will strengthen your faith.

KEY POINT: Many people struggle for Kingdom assignments that feed their ego while they run away from some other tasks.Neglected assignments such as sanitation and washing of toilets enjoy Heavens greater rewards.

Excerpts form Open Heavens by Pastor E.A Adeboye