Kigoye Eriya

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to [their] power, I bear record, yea, and beyond [their] power [they were] willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and [take upon us] the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And [this they did], not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Paul had good things to say about the church of the Macedonia. Among those were that they were very generous. But what characteristics did that church have that we the present church should learn from or get established in if we are already doing the same. Firstly, they had a good response to relief, Acts 11:29. A famine had happened in Jerusalem and they were mobilised to send relief there. If you...

2 Samuel 6:13 And it was [so], that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. Giver type 27; The extravagant giver or high capacity givers. Gives over and above the normal amount. David, Solomon and the Macedonians were good examples of this Giver type 28; The first-time giver. Someone newly inspired to share their resources, often moved by a specific vision or message.   Giver type 29; The Intentional giver. These are likened to a thoughtful giver who carefully evaluates their budget to ensure their financial priorities reflect their faith. Giver type 30; The surrendered giver. A person who is no longer attached to specific amounts or percentages; they joyfully hold nothing back from God and stretch their generosity to the max. Giver type 31; The legacy giver. Someone who thinks long-term about the impact of their lifetime and estate resources, leaving a lasting, multi-generational kingdom impact. Further scriptures   1 Kings...

Mark 12:41-44 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all [they] did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, [even] all her living. Giver type 21; The big little givers like the widow who gave all her living in Mark 12:41-44. This seems to be like a paradox. How can one give big yet little? On paper, although they give amounts which appear smaller than the rest, in the eyes of God they are actually giving more than the rest. This teaches us that God doesn't look at what is given but what is left after giving. What percentage of your earnings are you giving or not? Your 1% given may be higher...

Philippians 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things [which were sent] from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Yesterday our types of givers list stopped on giver type 15. Giver type 16; Scented or perfumed givers, as shown in Philippians 4:18.  Giver type 17; Genuine or unpretentious givers, e.g Dorcas or Tabitha, Acts 9:39-40 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning [him] to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Giver type 18; Self inspired or self driven or voluntary givers like Zaccheaus in Luke 19:1-9. When Jesus visited Zaccheaus' house, he without any instruction from anyone gave freely to the...

2 Samuel 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy [it] of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. Last week we stopped at giver type six. Giver type seven: Limelight givers: They give primarily to look good to leadership. They seek the praise of others. They can also be referred to public relations givers. The Pharisees were known for this. They would give alms in full view of everyone so that they receive praise of men which is the reward they could get and not God's reward. Giver type Eight. Regular Givers: They give on a regular, planned basis. They support the church vision faithfully. They automate their giving so that they don't miss out on giving. They can also be called consistent givers. Giver type Nine; Separated givers: They give beyond their normal capacity. They prioritize God's work over per...

Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. There are different types of givers among us. We give differently. You may wonder where you fall but you definitely fall somewhere. I have tried to compile the different giver types from various online sources and these are some of my findings. First type of givers are conservative givers. They limit their giving to information they have receive via church announcements. They are normally slow at adjusting to modern ways of giving for example via Church lines or merchant codes and instead prefer to  envelopes and cash only. The good side to them is that they have high levels of trust. Second type of givers are emotion led givers. They are reactionary, seasonal givers. Their giving fluctuates with emotional appeals. When they are moved by compassion to help someone in need, that is when they act. They are also big givers when someone challenges them to give after a powerful sermon o...

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.   Yesterday we got to learn that there are eight degrees of giving charity. The first and highest according Moses Maimonides is empowerment giving.  Giving degree II: Anonymous Giving. Here the giver gives to a public fund, and the recipient receives help without either party ever knowing the other's identity. Moses Maimomides noted that this kind of giving is the second highest among the ranks of giving. Public funds màh  Giving degree III: Secret Giver: The donor knows the recipient, but the recipient does not know the identity of the person helping them. Giving degree IV: Secret Receiver. The recipient knows who the donor is, but the donor remains unaware of who is receiving their help. Giving degree V: Proactive Giving. Giving directly to a per...

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. The perspective of the Jews differs from most people when it comes to giving charity or aid. Tzedakah, from the Word Zedek is a Hebrew word meaning justice or righteousness. Jews view charity as an obligation rooted in social justice. Others non Jews give out of love or pity for their fellow man.  But what do you always mean when you say that you are giving help to a needy person? What is your first instinct when someone requests money from you? In which ways do you help them and to what degree do you help them? Many years ago a Jewish scholar and philosopher named Moses Maimonides in the 12th century categorised charitable giving in eight stages or degrees. Chariatble degree 1: Empowerment giving which according to Moses Maimonides is the highest form of giving. This includes providing someone a means to earn money and become self reliant like connecting  ...

Deuteronomy 24:19-21 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean [it] afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. We talk about giving but what do groups like the Jews Believe about Giving? We know they are a blessed group of people. If you didn't know how blessed they are, look up the statistics. 9% of Jews have been past winners of the Nobel peace prize, and have 25-35% representation on the Forbes richest people in the world year in year out. Most of the tech inventions you know of, biggest companies in the world etc...

Leviticus 19:9-10 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather [every] grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I [am] the LORD your God. Giving rule 11: Give to charity as an obligation. In Judaism, charity is not just a generous act, but a matter of righteousness and fairness. To them charity giving is the right or fair thing to do. Giving rule 12: Do not give out of necessity or compulsion. Such giving is as a result of some external pressure or force applied or something one cannot afford not to do.  Guving rule 13: Maintain the dignity of the one you give to.  It is a sin to embarrass or shame someone when offering help. Giving rule 14: Have a portion for the poor of all you earn. Do not eat up all your earnings without leaving a potion for the poor.  Further scriptur...

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 But this [I say:] He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [So let] each one [give] as he proposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. The 10th giving rule is, "Give as you have purposed in your heart." I heard a preacher say that they set a giving target every Sunday for themselves which they put in an envelope a day or two before the day of worship. Such is an example of one who purposes to give beforehand.  They are past giving out of emotions to giving by intentionality or purposeful giving. Such a one cannot give the Lord pocket change when the giving basket is passed neither can they forget to give. If its a fundraising drive held annually, you ought to set your target a year before the D-day. When your mind is set to a certain amount, your emotions won't feel like you are doing a crime or feel cheated after giving because you have already pre...

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 But this [I say:] He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [So let] each one [give] as he proposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. Ninth rule of giving is "give bountifully." In otherwards give big, plentous, and spread out your giving.  There are a number of ministries who are touching lives. That is good ground for sowing. Support some more ministries as much as you can. If you sow little, you will reap little. If you sow much, you will reap much. The wise teacher in Ecclesiastes said as you invest, invest in seven or eight ventures for you never know which one shall survive or give you fruit. Even the seeds we sow, for them to give you good results, you ought to sow in abundance and expect a harvest. You are living on yesterday's seeds sown.  I have never seen a farmer who enters a place of "no more sowing," never. They keep sowing....

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first [day] of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Rule Eight; Give regularly. Every week giving.  Annual giving e.g cheerful giving. If you ever give once in while, you should turn into a regular and a consistent giver.  Regular can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or annual depending on the purpose and the rhythm of the giving. Weekly for example can work best for daily earners who at the end of the week should take a tithe of their earnings to their local church, biweekly in case you earn your wages every two weeks, monthly could be for salary workers who earn their salaries at the end of the month, while annually can work for those doing fundraising events which are calendared every year. In all these a discipline of consistent putting aside of a potion which is the Lord's is required so that it is not touched.  The mindset of givers should be that "God owns 1...

2 Corinthians 9:7 [So let] each one [give] as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. Rule six; give cheerfully.  This needs no much explanation. This rule simply means your giving should be done in with joy and gladness. Other versions say one who delights in his giving or gives gladly.  Rule seven; give with simplicity. As Romans 12:6-8 says Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, [let us wait] on [our] ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Do not make your giving hard or complicated. Let it not be said of you that you that you are so hard to get, in order to fulfil your pledge. You may tell us, collect the pledge next week, and when that wee...

2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully."  Rule five of giving is: Do not give reluctantly. Other versions use words like grudgingly, sorrowfully. This kind of giving is not God honouring at all.  Have you ever been in a meeting only to agree to disagree on a matter you don’t fully buy into? You fully know that if what within your power, you would do otherwise. That is how some behave when they give.  The reason why many don't realise the fruit of their giving is as they give, their hearts and actions are not one. God cannot be faked. He sees beyond actions. It is in humans to do jobs they don't like, marry people they dont love or do things they hate just to survive etc. They "just" accept to do things, nowonder they do the bare minimum. And sad enough they carry such mentality into the things of God. All you hear from t...

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to that a man hath, [and] not according to that he hath not.  According to the World Giving Index, 2025, people are known to be generous either directly to those in need, to a charitable organisation, or to a religious institution. They do this by either being helpful to a stranger, volunteering their time in an organisation, or by donating money.  The fourth underlying principle that governs giving is that one should give willingly and freely, not because they are under pressure. In otherwards, giving should be voluntarily done out of one's free will and without any grudging on their part. No one should be forced to give but can be encouraged to do so. Their giving should be from the heart.  About encouragement, I believe just like all other good mannerisms, giving can be taught because it is not natural to the fallen man, although the new man is by nature a giver. By the new man I mean t...

Matthew 6:1-4 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.   The third rule for giving is: give your alms in secret, or rather, give without showing off.    Alms giving is charitable giving to the poor. Except in fundraising drives, where accountability is required for who gives what and the amounts are read out openly, sometimes it is wise not to reveal the identity of the one who gave, so as to remain anonymous.  When one gives to...

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first [day] of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. The second rule of giving is you should give according to how God has blessed you. In the natural, there are people who have more than others. So they ought to give more. Don't try to give to match what others are giving because you won't get the blessing of the LORD. Instead you will get your reward here on earth and that is the praise of men. Many give to outcompete others but that is not right at all. Some give big out of excitement only to realise that they have nothing left to run the day to day affairs of life and then they come back to where they gave seeking aid. Since they gave their rent, capital, transport money to work, tuition, they tend to bother others with asking for loans to meet their needs which is not what God desires us to do. You should aim not to be burdensome to others because of your lack of w...

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. This may not be a rule per say but it's a starting important to know it before all else; God is a giver.  In the beginning God...He began all things, has granted us this beautiful world to live in, He has given us life, He gave us salvation, He has given us families, an education, leaders, freedom, friends, good churches, great pastors, good jobs, children, spouses etc. Please don't ever think if you don't have any of these then it is God's will. I believe God's will is for you to have things richly to enjoy. Whatever reason you assume why you don't have any of these is not God's. It's your reasoning. Is it okay for us all to be rich, why not? For all of us to have children, YES, for us to drive, the default answer if YES. If that is not the starting point of your belief system then you have ...

1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order. The spiritual life is not lived by accident. There are rules or principles or laws or precepts that govern it so that there is order. It is similar to a house. For it to stand there are fundamental parts of it that must be in place before it does so. These parts ought to be strong enough for the house to stand otherwise the investment will ho to ruins. Some of those parts are what we call structural elements like the foundation, columns, beams, slabs and roof trusses.  You do well to know these fundamentals or essential parts thoroughly well so that you are a partaker of the blessing that come with practicing them well. This includes giving. If you happen to be new in a field or organisation, the first thing any wise person does is to know the rules that govern that field or organisation. If they are written down are are accessible to you, grab a hold of them amd immerser yourself in them. Sometimes there are unwritt...

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it]. The fourth step to financial blessings is to pay your tithes and giving offerings. If you don't pay tithes you are not being thankful to God. It's similar to paying taxes. When you fulfil your tax obligations, you are in a way acknowledging that the government is giving you services like security, education, porable water etc. Only that there is a spirit of discontentment due to some evils done by some people  government but when you do the math, it takes a lot of money to build dams, ensure that the water that reaches your house is clean, get electricity, have security, build schools etc. And it is the taxes men give that those things are brought forth. If everyone was to get those services by themselv...

Matthew 6:30-34 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof. Today I promised to tell you what you ought to seek rather than seeking money or riches. Seek the will of God to be done. Seek God and not money. To tell you good news, God has a plan for you to be rich so instead of spending your life seeking to be rich, seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This does not mean ...

Proverbs 23:4-5 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. After knowing that God wants you well, ths second step to financial blessings is to seek not riches.  That is a bit shocking to the common man. A common person will ask, then what is the point in working? Why do I even go to school? Why have more than one job? The common man thinks about himself and his money or possessions. They are either a god to themselves or possessions are their god.  I remember when I was still at the university. Those days marked a spark of my fire for God and serving Him. I remember I got to know God more and all I wanted was Him and nothing else. It's still the case today. One time however in one of the lectures, one lecturer, who usually had life talks with us said something which got me thinking. He asked a question, "why are you in school?" A...

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. The very first step to financial blessings is to know that God wants you to be blessed, rich and prosperous. This is true whether you are in a poor or rich country. This is so important to know from the very word go because it's very easy to miss it. Those who sometimes are in well to do nations don't see much need to preach about it after all they have "everything." Their sermons are so detached from the day to day needs of those who are "struggling." This is not to say they aren't facing challenges in their context but the necessities of life are not part of their prayer items. So such downplay preaching like these limiting the interpretation of such passages in the Bible to man's spiritual and emotional needs.  But God wants you to be rich. He does not want you to be prosperous in whatever situation you may find yourself in. He has a...

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: There is so much that has been said about finances that sometimes you feel as if there is nothing new to write about it. But there's always a reason why we should write about it. God perhaps wants to bring something to pass in the lives of the believers who are not yet conversant about the topic. Even those who have heard about it, its good to hear it again and again so that their faith increases for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. God has dealt with me in this area and I am happy to give my contribution in it. I have to yet reached where I want to be but am glad that I am not where I used to be. This proves that God's word is true. I believe it more today than ever before in my younger years. It works. The word works. You can put your trust in it and it will work every other time.  Many have given up in their fa...

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the [same] night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner [He] also [took] the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink [it,] in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Many don't know the power of Holy communion but Holy Communion shows us what happened on the cross. The cross became an altar and a place of sacrifice. On every altar, there is sacrifice and shedding of blood. Altars are also places where the spiritual world meets with the physical world.  The greatest altar was that where the sacrifice of the son of God happened. Jesus the Lamb of God was the per...

1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.  We must be prepared and prepared to serve genuinely and sacrificially. That extra hour you give at the expense of your sleep to serve others counts a lot. Prayer for example is also an act of service. Staying awake interceding for others is an act of service for even prophet Samuel did the same as it is in our theme scripture.  Do not be timid as you are serving. Some put much thought on how others will think about them in case they do something and that alone affects them in one way or the other. Determine in your heart to be delivered from man's opinions about you and better do the right thing and it will be up to them to think whatever they will think. We need to learn from our dear mothers who even when everyone including herself arrive home at around 7pm but immediately she would change and head straight to the kitc...

Luke 22:26 But ye [shall] not [be] so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. The way to greatness is by service and not being served. The more people you can serve in the kingdom, the greater you are. Whenever you reach a new environment, ask those you find how you can be of help to them and it can be through your energy, time or participation for instance you may join certain ministries and they may be well off in terms of finances and it may appear that they do not need your money unless the Lord leads you to give them but at least be of good use to them. Opportunities present themselves to problem solvers. Your relevance is in accordance to the problems you solve. It should never be a burden to you to solve a problem or to give a helping hand. You should find joy in giving help or offering a service.  At times the people who lead us especially in church settings don't do certain things because they want others ...

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Evangelists can be likened to teachers who are known for not growing old. Many preachers have been known to live quite a long life. This is due to the joy it brings when one soul is saved.  A genuine evangelist cannot be satisfied with money. They find more value and energy when a soul is won. A won soul worth far more than anything and they rejoice in it. When a soul is won, there is rejoicing in heaven. Nothing should make you more pleased than to bring joy in the heavens for your soul winning here on earth. Win a soul today!  

Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Vs 17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. People usually pray for the wrong things in church. People pray that may God bring more people in to His church yet they should be praying for more evangelists to go out and bring people into the church.  People out there are ready to receive the gospel and enter church but there are not enough evangelists to bring them. We cannot be comfortable with the numbers we have in our ministries yet there are many people are out there. The disciples of Christ were sent to preach the gospel and returned with joy and even demons were subject to them through Jesus' name. Joy is not prayed for. It comes through soul winning. You won't be found stressed or bored He fills you with joy as you...

Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. God’s ways are ways of grace and thus deserves all our praise.  We do utter words of praise unconsciously. While meeting a Christian, instead of saying 'hello' we normally say, 'praise God.' This is so common in that if you are not conversant with saying 'Amen' you are thought of one who is not born again. "Praise God" is not only the way we greet each other but a declaration of our lifestyle in that regardless of what we are going through, it is a powerful declaration of our victory. When we live like that, always praising God, we will see victories. Mind you we live in a fallen world and there are things that come against us to trouble us. But regardless of what you and I may be going through, we should keep praising God and always keep our confession of praise.  When we "Praise God", we are...

Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? It is good to talk about the God we seek, but I don’t know how many times we talk of the God who seeks us.  We are bornagain because God sought us. It is humbling to hear that God seeks us and that His eye is on us. Today He is seeking you. You know man can seek God and fail to find Him because there are no guarantees with man’s ways. But when God decides to seek you, will He fail to find you? Definitely not. Thank God He has sought you, like He sought Abraham to bless Him and put him in a place of abundance, so shall it be for you also. When God seeks you, He does it for a reason. Some people think when He finds them, He will punish them or give them a hard task. No no no. When He seeks you it is because He w...

Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people  Covenant number six is the covenant God made with David or name it the Davidic convenant.  Through Prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 7:16, God promised David that, "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. Forever a king would come out of his loins. Hence the children of Israel call Jesus the son of David because Jesus is the eternal son who sits on the throne of his father David. The good thing is that in the New testament He does not sit there alone. We too whom He has made kings and priests are seated with Him in the spirit reigning, glory to God! Covenant number seven is the New covenant. It was prophesied in our theme scripture, Jeremiah 31:33. This is our covena...

According to Psalms 91:1-16 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, [and] from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day; [Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall giv...

Deuteronomy 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Covenant number five was the Mosaic covenant which is contained in the books of the old testament.  Moses wrote the first five books of it including Genesis. You may wonder how he did that. He received a revelation from God. Moses prayed in Exodus 33:13-14 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation [is] thy people. And he said, My presence shall go [with thee], and I will give thee rest. Grace reveals to you the heart of God and the way of God. That is why Paul prayed for the Ephesian church that God would give them revelation in the knowledge of Him. Secondly, you cannot separate grace from rest. Once you get God’s grace, you cannot fail to enter His rest.  In Exodus 33:19 God continues to promise, "And He said, I will make...

Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. We previously mentioned the first three covenants God made with man. Covenant number four is the land covenant God made with the children of Israel as part of the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant had two clauses to it. It had the blessing part and the land part of covenant.  From the Abrahamic covenant came the geographic land that is called the nation of Israel. Up to today, people don’t understand why there is so much contention about this small place on the map that is called the nation of Israel. People who go there ask, ‘what are people fighting about?’ Every day in the papers there is a story related to this small geographical place called Israel or Palestine. First of all, it is a desert. It is not like some African nations endowed with rich minerals. Israel has nothing, no minerals or gold. It does not have beau...

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Many Bible scholars agree that there are 7 covenants that God made with man. But when you look at all of them, they are all primarily rooted in God’s grace. Always remember that whenever God called or calls a man or woman His primary intention is to show His grace and goodness to them. The first covenant was the Adamic covenant. In Genesis 1:26 basically, God creates man and plants them in a garden and instructs them that of every tree they can freely enjoy except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What a good God. He planted man in a garden of abundance and plenty. His mercy to Adam...

Deuteronomy 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Our God is a God of covenants and He keeps His covenants. Covenant for lack of a better word is like a contract. It is how God deals with His people. When we understand that God keeps His covenants, as children we will rest in the covenant we live in and that is the New Covenant. In the Bible there are about 7 covenants that God made with His people but there are two major covenants of how God has dealt with His people throughout human history and that is the old and new covenant.  To clearly understand the truth about old and covenants, it is important to note that man’s ways are ways of merit for example when you are going to get a job, you go through an interview and you have to impress your interviewers to get it. Also in school, for you to get promoted to a new class, you have to pass exams very well. Parents also promise gifts to their children as a r...

Psalms 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. I have a good shepherd  I don't want or lack anything good. I have all I need, spiritually and physically.  I am well watered My soul is wellwatered I am refreshed all the time. I fear no impending evil The Lord is on my side He is in me, with me and before me. I am filled with joy even in the presence of my enemies.  Goodness and mercy follow me every...

Proverbs 19:20 Gossip betrays confidence (NIV). Women as we have seen are important in ministry but there is something important to caution women about. In his writings, Paul cautions women about particular things and thus it would be unfair to state only the good things without mentioning these powerful principles that can help women excel.  Paul writes to Timothy and advises him even to avoid silly fables or rumours. Dear woman reading this, if you want to be celebrated as a mother or mighty woman of God, avoid silly fables and gossip. If you are caught up in it, people’s confidence in you will disappear just like our theme scripture has stated. On the other hand it is hard to find a man in gossip. Incase you do that is very rare. Secondly, avoid quarrels between yourselves like Paul admonished Euodias and Syntyche. Perhaps they had a quarrel and needed to settle out differences. The devil also knows that when powerful women in the Lord agree, mighty things will happen in the chu...

Romans 16:3-4 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles There are a number of special ministry attributes that women have. Firstly women were created to love and Christianity is about love. God has called us to love and touch people. The hurting world out there is not looking for instructors but people to love them. If women can just choose to touch the world, they can change it. That is why you even see the world sings so much about mothers and you rarely hear songs about fathers. This is the exception in the women. And since God has placed His love in us, all of us, male or female can do more in this area. Secondly women know how to pray. When it comes to prayer and intercession, no one does it like women. Wives, God has called you to pray for your husbands. Some of you get frustrated because your husband does not pray as you do and some compare the...

Romans 16:13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. When you look at Paul’s life in Romans 16, he saluted a number of people, over 25 people the majority of whom were women. He greeted Phoebe, Priscilla, Rufus’s mother whom he calls as his own. Being a mother does not mean you first become 40 years old. You can be a mother at 20. At the universities, the female leaders in Christian cycles are called mama's literally interpreted as mother, illustrating the point above. Sad to say, many women cannot behave motherly or even lead others in church because of wrong beliefs. For example some people believe women are not supposed to be preachers. I know of a lady who at one time fell prey to such teachings. She had always wanted to become a pastor until some people with wrong doctrine convinced her that women are not to be preachers! And many of them pull that out of Paul’s writings who wrote that the women should not talk in church but inquire from their husbands at hom...

Luke 8:1-3 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance. The Bible mentions a number of women that blessed Jesus from our theme scripture but there are many others which were not mentioned. They provided for Jesus from their own substance. They are the ones who took the pains to know what Jesus would eat or dress up that day.  Today it's not the physical Jesus women are to minister to but to His ministers whom He has placed. The women who are married to pastors do a great job at this. That's why I say that when God wants to bless a man, He plants a Godly woman in their life. The women also minister to youn...