Kigoye Eriya

2 Timothy 2:1-3 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul admonished Timothy that, above all things, to first get established in the grace of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Grace is the foundation on which discipleship and endurance of hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ are built. Without it, one's life and ministry will easily be shaken.  Some people, after getting saved, get into all kinds of teachings, which are meats, yet they are spiritual babes that need the milk of God's word. Grace is one of the milk of the Word that will set them on course to be am established Christian and minister of the gospel.  Before even knowing about demonology, faith, angelics, prayer, finances, etc, they ought to know grace. Grace actually w...

(1Sa 10:10)  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. (1Sa 10:11)  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? The company you keep affects you in many ways, including your spiritual life. If you hang with the eagles, you are most likely an eagle, and you, too, will fly. If you hang with the prophets, you will also prophesy. This is what happened to Saul. He started prophesying, and people thought he was a prophet. It is called anointing by association. It does not matter whether you do not know how to pray, deliver healing, preach, or even teach; hang around those who do, and their anointing will rub off on you.  I remember a time when I was still studying. For some reason, all my friends w...

(Exo 33:18)  And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. Have you ever wondered why you sometimes feel that God is not with you? Scripturally, you may be aware He is with you, and yet you do not feel His presence? I have discovered that God hides from us so that we can pursue Him. We have tasted His glory in various meetings and things we do, but there is a feeling that tells you there is more than you are yet to see. The more you are yet to see draws you again to search Him deeper, and when you feel like this is it, then you discover it is not it, and then you search more and more. It is like climbing a ladder that has intermediate landings. The landings are not the destination but a temporary stopover. We encounter landings in our spiritual journeys. You see a little success here and there. God uses you, and you see results here and there, and then you discover that there are other things you are yet to see or experience. That alone arouses more hunger for Him. You tend to pr...

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. When God calls us into ministry, we ought to count ourselves blessed because it is a great honour. But after the call, men need to embrace that call for you to minister to them. If you are the only one who can see it, and no one else does, then there is a big problem. So the favour one gets is at two fronts, before God and before men.  Like I wrote previously,  if the call is not there, one will tend to force himself to lead the people.  But again, if the call is there and yet the people do not see it or are yet to see it, you will struggle. It is the reason men are ordained by the laying on of hands. The ordination is simply a public declaration that this man or woman is called into the ministry. It is no longer a private affair between him and God, but it's now an endorsement from the rest of the leaders and the church.  Jesus grew in favour with both man and God. However much He w...

Exodus 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. It is only by God's grace that we are able to know Him who called us to Himself and to the ministry. This knowing is not just mere intellectual knowledge but revelation knowledge.   Revelation knowledge is not taught but caught. The Spirit of God takes you into greater depths and unveils to you truths that you wouldn't have known by simply learning from another person teaching you. That's why the Bible says in the later days no man will say to another know the Lord for all will know the Lord through revelation. A person who is walking by revelation is not like one who's not. He is firm in his assertions, confident in the person of God, and assured of God's help all the time. It's the testimony Paul had onboard a ship, which was about to sink....

Genesis 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all [that] he had he put into his hand. Grace is required for one to lead in ministry. We see here Joseph chosen by grace wherever he went. He was a leader at home even when he was the youngest at the time through the dreams he had. He saw things no one could see, and a leader is that kind of person. And all that was by the grace which was on his life. He went to Egypt, and the first person he worked for appointed him ruler over his household except his wife. When he was imprisoned, he was still appointed by the keeper of the prison to be the leader over fellow prisoners. That went in until he became prime minister over the whole of Egypt. People cannot see the grace of leadership on you unless God has placed it on you. Remember, these were Egyptians, people who had no regard that there was a God in heaven. We cannot say they were spiritually discerning that there is a ca...

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light. I don't know if you have ever sat down to imagine that a serious child of God has burdens to carry after having got born again? If you didn't know now you know. You have the burden to love your neighbour as yourself, even your enemies, your nagging boss, cantankerous spouse, stubborn employees etc. On top of that you have to do the work of the ministry with a pure heart, without grumbling or complaining. Furthermore you have to give towards worthy causes. You have to tithe, sow seeds, participate in so and so's wedding arrangements, do work around the church, preach the gospel to non believers, transport them to church, visit them, be there for them when they are in trouble, the list is endless. In short, all that Jesu...

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What attracted you to Christianity? Was it the healing, prosperity or just the hype that the evangelist painted for you that day? Some come for all reasons you may think of including getting good spouses! However much all those seem meaningful, but the number one thing that attracts us to the Lord is His Love and Grace for us. Love and Grace is the foundation we base our belief on. Without them, everything else seems meaningless. I compare it to a woman and a man who are in a marriage relationship. The foundation for that union ought to be the right one else if it's not the right one, everything else will fall apart. Some accept a hand in marriage for all the wrong reasons. Some state money, looks, the figure, family background etc. However important they may be, they cannot cause one to hang into the marriage when there is a shakin...

Genesis 33:8-9 And he said, What [meanest] thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, [These are] to find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. It has been said that if you want to restore broken relationships, gifts are very powerful in doing so. But we see a precedent here where Esau did not want any gift from Jacob in order to restore their relationship. Those who do not know the story, Esau gave away his birthright to Jacob in their younger days. Jacob also disguised himself as Esau and took the blessing of the firstborn instead of Esau when their father Isaac asked Esau to cook him some meat. From that day, Esau sought to kill Jacob. However, 20 years later, Jacob still thought Esau was angry at him, and yet God had dealt with Him. He was more melow and calm than before.   It was because Jacob found grace before him that he received forgiveness and not by the gift he brought. We see that scenario...

Genesis 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: The law of moses didn't allow for any reasoning whatsoever. If you are caught red-handed, you are immediately punished. But because grace predated the law, we see here Lot negotiating with the angels on which place he should go. Although the command was issued to leave Sodom and Gomorrah because of the destruction God was about to send on it, it was not going to be worth the escape if Lot fell into another tragedy where he was sent to and die there perhaps by an attack of a snake or wild animals. He understood the place of pleading his case with God. Please understand that he wasn't pleading to be excused of performing the command, which was sin in itself, but the modus operandi of how the command would be executed.  I see sometimes Christians struggle wit...

Genesis 6:7-8 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. In the time of Noah, God was about to destroy the whole of mankind but a few people were saved by grace because someone accepted God's word, and they followed suit.  You may never know who will be saved by your decision to accept the Lord and walk in His ways, but that could be your immediate family, which is very dear to you. That act is noah finding grace is a picture of Christ. Jesus was a man full of grace and truth. Because of Him, the entire human race is saved.  Never give up on grace because it's saving grace. It will save your family and those that are yours. Grace is redemptive, and it will not stop with you. In my family, it was our elder sister, Eunice, who first got saved. It was not easy for her, but sh...

Mark 14:60-62 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what [is it which] these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. As Jesus was about to be killed, Peter and the disciples fled in terror. What is so interesting is to read how Peter denied having been with Jesus yet all along he was with Him!  On the contrary, I loved the way Jesus did not fear to boldly accept His true identity as the Christ and son of God and as the king of the Jews. This was interpreted as blasphemy by the chief priests, elders, and the scribes, and they planned for His death. To Jesus, His identifying with the Father was more important than life itself.  What other gift is there more than life? None. Bu...

1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Peculiar means different and special. It also means something not normal.  The Word of God calls you peculiar, and that is who you are. Your life is beyond ordinary. God has set you apart for Himself for mighty exploits. You have not been created for an average life. God has put you in an elevated position with Himself. You are seated with Christ far above principalities and powers that be. No weapon forged against you shall prosper. You are above and not beneath.   You are a faith child who lives by faith. With you, nothing is impossible because you are a believer. Mark 11:23 says whatever you say in faith without doubt will come to pass. That is not the lot of any ordinary man but for the extra ordinary one, and that is you, child of God, hallelujah.  When J...

Psalms 82:6-7 I have said, Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are] children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Christians have the God nature inside them, but not every human being does. But walking after that divine nature is not automatic. One has to acknowledge that they do have it and can walk in it.  When we don't walk in that divine nature, the problem does not lie with God but with us. Sometimes, when something is repeated over and over, it becomes a settled truth that whenever something is mentioned to the contrary, the contrary opinion is often laughed at and considered abnormal. What, therefore, is normal is not always the best.  We have listened to what is normal for so long that what is supernatural is counted as weired. Everything has been branded secular, meaning no spiritual explanation is accepted in some circles as a reason for the occurrence of anything. Society has become so secular that what used to be a nonworking ...

Psalms 82:6 I have said, Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are] children of the most High. Human beings beget human beings. God, too, begets gods. Man is in a special class. He has the spirit of God in him once he gets saved. That alone sets man to be supernatural.   When the reality of a believer dawns on him, he never remains the same again. The supernatural nolonger becomes foreign to him or out of reach but within reach.  There are statements which some Christians utter which water down the god class identity they have in them. Statements like wretched sinner, I am just a dog, etc. If the realm of the supernatural is to be enjoyed, some utterances, however factual they may be, will only destroy what God wants to build in you.  Any utterances that reveal ones inadequacy or want should be avoided if you are to move in the highest realms of the supernatural.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. One of the humbling experiences is living a prayerful life. Prayer in itself is expressing one's total dependence on God. It is seeking counsel from one above and greater than you.  Like I mentioned previously, it's only humble ones who pray. The proud know it all don't want to express themselves as weak to seek counsel or guidance from the Lord who created them.  If you have pride, then you are not praying because prayer humbles you to entirely rely on God. Humbling self for one, two three hours or so talking to a being whom you cannot see, is no mere joke. People have all excuses for not praying as if those who do not have reasons not to pray!  Make it a habit to pray. For out of the infill and overflow, we derive from prayer is what we bas...

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility. Proud people always fall. It's only by humility that one can walk in the anointing and stay in Christianity. Many humble people are the ones who serve. Proud ones feel big to do the menial tasks around the church.  Proud people are not teachable. They don't come for prayer, fellowships, bible study meetings, etc. They only come for special days like Christmas and Easter.  Proud people cannot humble themselves to plant churches even when they have what it takes to do so. When they imagine the work associated with church planting, which actually humbles you, they cannot go for it. They prefer keeping their image to obeying God.  Proud people cannot humble themselves to attend small group meetings, calling them for young people. To them, a meeting with politicians and CEOs is higher than believers who have nothing to offer but problems.   I remember a time when the...

1 Corinthians 14:7-8 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? Jesus said the words that He speaks unto us are spirit and life. Never joke with the power of words in the realm of the spirit. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. The Bible also says you shall have what you say. It means the sound you make through the words of your mouth has a direct effect on the things that happen in your day to day life. You cannot say you want to prosper and yet you sound opposite to such a desire. Your sound should match what is inside your heart and the Word of God.  Without sound coming from an instrument, you never know whether it is good enough or bad. The sound from it distinguishes it from the rest of the instruments.  Your sound should be distinct enough to echo through generations. Sound...

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. We thank God for the good things that God does by the Holy Spirit through us. He has used us to love, extend grace, show acts of kindness, plant churches, etc.  Yet there is an element we normally miss about the anointing, and that is power. Doing all the above is awesome, but the power dimension will set us apart to do the greater works that Jesus said we will do.  Power to heal, perform miracles, make the lame walk, open blind eyes set free the broken hearted is what the end time church needs in order to take the gospel far and wide. That places Christianity apart from philosophy or even mere textbook theories to a supernatural life of God working visibly through us.  The Holy Spirit yearns to manifest, but we, the vessels of the anointing, need to awake to that reality that there's power we...

John 18:3-6 Judas then, having received a band [of men] and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am [he]. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am [he], they went backward and fell to the ground. There are varied ways in which the Holy Spirit manifests or Phanerosis in Greek. One of those ways is when one falls under God's power in a Holy Ghost session. The testimony is true to all, one doesn't fall just because they want to, in fact some declare all their life that when someone touches them, they would resist the urge to fall, only to wake up after sometime when they had fallen. Interesting enough is that this is not new. In the Bible, there are many that fell under the power of God when t...

1 Kings 3:4-5 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that [was] the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. When one talks about paying the price, the flesh immediately gets scared because it doesn't want to lose the comfortable position it may be in at the moment. But that's the normal thing anyone who wants to sit at the table of great men has to go through. And it's interesting that if one is not willing to pay it now, they are simply postponing it for a later time.  Legally, when one purchases something from the shop, they use a currency acceptable in the country they are in, so it is with greatness. It has a price tag to it, which is suffering and trials. Am not talking about suffering because you have stolen or have been caught in adultery but suffering for doing good. What good are we doing but to share the gospe...

Matthew 13:13-16 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. I love the words that I hear some preacher say whenever he starts his sermon. He always says, I love my Bible, I can do what it says I can do, my soul is alert, my mind is alert to receive whatever it says, my heart is receptive to receive what it tells me to do, Amen. Now I pick up some things from those. The soul, heart, and mind ar...

Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. A heart that is waxed gross is not a pleasant statement. It is a statement which means ones heart has become dull and fat that it cannot discern the supernatural things of God. It also means a heart that is hardened, insensitive, calloused to the word of God.  How does a man reach that place of being insensitive and indifferent? They reach a place where they nolonger believe in the simple promises of "thus says the Lord." In short they simply nolonger believe God's word.  There are many people who make the Word complicated, yet it is not. This leads to incorrect assumptions and incorrect conclusions and beliefs that hinder the flow of God in their lives. God is nolonger what th...

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. The reason why most believers do not experience the supernatural even when it is within their reach is because of the carnal or the natural state of their hearts.  Simply looking at life as merely natural and nothing like a miracle could happen is the first limitation in itself. We serve a God who walked on water, who rose from the dead, who opened blind eyes, who made the lame walk, etc. A natural man will only think that such things are impossible. They will limit themselves to taking medicine for them to receive relief from sickness, only look to the job as their source of provision, etc. To them, they do not factor God in the equation because their hearts are hardened to such realities.  Do not allow your natural state to hinder you from experiencing the supernatural. Further scriptures  1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but ...

Proverbs 29:18 Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. A vision is a supernatural revelation God gives a man about His plans and purposes. Visions come in many forms; some come as trances (when man's physical senses are suspended but their spiritual eyes can see what Godis revealingto them), some during the night through dreams, others by perceiving or understanding God's word, others come when one receives a word from God, some come through images and symbols with specific interpretation, others come through prophets and others come to a man during the day even when their senses are not suspended usually when an angel or Jesus appears to such a man (open visions). When the Bible says my people perish because they lack vision. It means they lack a clear understanding of what God intends them to do. In the book of Samuel, in the times of Eli, the Visions of God were rare. It means God's visitations to reveal His plans and p...

Genesis 41:15-19 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and [there is] no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you [that] you can understand a dream, to interpret it." So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "[It is] not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: "Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. God speaks to us supernaturally through dreams just like He did in the Bible. Ordinary people received dreams and sensed that it was God talking to them and not their fleshly inclinations. It is right to expect the Lord to communicate to you through dreams. Drawing that line that this dream is of God and another is not is what only a mature Christian can do...

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. Supernatural simply means above natural. It is something you cannot simply bring forth through the five senses. The natural realm is where logic, intellect, and reason take precedence.   Christianity is a Supernatural faith with a Supernatural book called the Bible. When we ignore supernatural things that God does in our every day life, we miss a lot on His move.  God used ordinary individuals to write the Bible for instance by inspiring their hearts (thoughts and mind). How could they discern that such a thought was out of the ordinary? They could because they were spiritually mature. Spiritual maturity is simply a state where an individual can discern both good and evil and able to separate what God is saying from what their own thoughts are saying. Do you know that you and I can as...

Acts 16:12-15 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, [and] a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted [thither]. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide [there]. And she constrained us. There's a big question that ministers or ordinary believers ask: How do I know that God wants me to minister to so and so and in such and such a place? The one thing I have come to conclude is that you need to move whenever and wherever God is moving.  There's a knowing you get on the ...

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever-- The paraclete, who is the Holy Spirit, is a Greek word which means one who is called alongside to help. He is called alongside to be of help to you while you do the praying, the ministration of the Word, etc. He does not do the work for you but aids you in doing the work you have been called to do.  He is the perfect helper we need for the ministry God has called us into. Otherwise, nothing much can be done without Him. If, on the other hand, we don't move in what God has told us to do, He cannot be of help. What do I mean, if you don't open your mouth to pray or preach, He cannot inspire a closed mouth but the mouth which is already talking. It's like a moving ship, which is swayed in a different direction by the wind. It's only then that the captain can bring it back to the right cou...

2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Through knowledge, that's God's kind of knowledge, we receive the things that pertain to life and godliness. The power to live a life of forgiveness, love for your enemies, and do the things which many call impossible are only possible through the knowledge and teaching of the Holy Spirit. When such things start to happen in one's life, who has been walking in a life totally opposite, just know that the Holy Spirit is at work.  The wisdom to prosper, have good relationships, good marriages, and successful businesses come from one embrace the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. These are the things which pertain to this life. These things are not in heaven but here on earth. The Bible says that through wisdom, a house is built. Am sure many are wise by the world standards, but the wisdom to...

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The church has been blessed by a special endowment called the Holy Spirit. He teaches us and guides us in all things.  Someone taught of God is unique from one that isn't. And the promise is to teach us and guide us in all things. Before you get someone to teach you on prayer, healing, love, and work, the Holy Spirit will do it and help you stay on the right course. Whatever another man will be teaching, you will only confirm what the Holy Spirit has already taught you with in you.  You don't need to be thrown into panic for having not attended course this or course that, there's a knowing and a teaching the best teacher is already taking you through. Walk in such confidence because of who you have and the ministry He is up to in your life, the teaching ministry of the blesse...

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. How are genuine disciples made? Are they made through giving them handouts? By giving them clothes or by giving them an education in a secular university? Or a job?  One may get a follower through the above but not a disciple at heart. If you notice all those I have listed are done by most organisations and governments of this world, but still there are lots of disloyalty through the ranks. Case in point,  the government does a lot of things humanitarian as possible but nevertheless that has not stopped some people from overthrowing them through military coups, vote them out of power or even destroy property through strikes. We have also had instances where people change loyalties from one political group to another when the political they have been following is no longer in power. After switching sides, they talk ill about the previous gove...

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. You will only reach and minister to a certain class of people if you are among them. That is why Jesus became a man in order that He can be like us so that we can be like Him. To us who believed in Him, we were sinners, and He made us righteous. He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Whichever trade you're in, reconcile all that are in it to God. Become like them in trade matters so that they can become like you in faith matters.

1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  Having your money-making ventures that meet your needs as a minister is good. It makes you free of all men. You do not become subject to another man. Whether they send in their gift or not, it helps you to be self-sustaining.   There are some people (mostly alumni), we used to call while at the university, when we were under a certain mission team, and whenever they would answer the call, the first thing they ask is, "what is the program again that has led you to call? It must be related to money." Now that was not a good comment, but we had to bear with it because we needed the money to run the ministry programs.  When the pastor or the ministry is dependent on the biggest givers in the church, that alone becomes a problem of its own. If such believers aren't humble,  they may be puffed with pride. At one point, unless they are touched b...

Acts 20:32-35 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. There are examples of almost every facet of life in the Bible.  That's why it's a great book. Speaking of people who served God mightily as well as doing secular work,  Paul was one of them. A tent maker during the week and a preacher over the weekend during synagogue meetings.  Being a tent maker did not lessen his anointing.  He was able to demonstrate to idle believers that even believers could work and support themselves without being a burde...

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. There's a myth that goes around that church planters, evangelists, or anyone to serve in ministry in power cannot do it while employed full-time somewhere else. It's the same logic given to students at whatever level they may be. The devil and even the world have sold them a lie that they should first finish school and then be involved in the ministry. So they wait, and when they get employed, they still wait until retirement, when they get married, they further wait until forever for their marriage to stabilise, then they get children and the wait continues until the children first grow and leave the house. So when will they really serve God? They won't if they don't change their mindset.  Am forever thankful for my mentors who helped me realise that I can do all these things while planting chu...