OFFERINGS

Today we will be talking about offerings.

Offering according to the dictionary, is a contribution given at a religious service. It is that which has been offered I.e a sacrifice. It can either be a voluntary or compulsory donation to the church. Our offering pleases God.

People who go to church and don't drop offerings don't understand the importance of our offerings.

We'd first look at the types of offerings

1. Freewill offering: this type of offering isn't compulsory. It is determined by you  and the reward of this offering is dependent on how you mete it out.

Give generously and generous gifts will be given back to you, shaken down to make room for more. Abundant gifts will pour out upon you with such an overflowing measure that it will run over the top! Your measurement of generosity becomes the measurement of your return.”

Luke 6:38 TPT

38 b says "for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured you again.

So the blessings of the freewill offering is dependent on what you give.

2. Collections and contributions: this type of offering is for ministerial purposes. That is for building of the church, evangelism etc. Acts 4:32-37

You can read that at your spare time

 3) Alms. It shows the extent of our love and care for one another. Giving to the poor is like lending unto God and God will always replenish you. Proverbs 19:17

4) Seed offering: I'm sure we all know this type. In our various churches we are always asked to sow one seed or the other. Now, seed offerings are given based on faith or when we want a change in situations. Let's say we want healing or we need financial breakthrough. Etc

Seed offerings make for "temporal" changes. 

b) Sacrificial offering: This type makes for a permanent change in a situation. This can be seen in 2Kings 3:27 where king Moab sacrificed his son in order to stop a war against the Israelites. In the subsequent chapter, there was no mention of that war.

5) Partnership offerings: This type of offering is given when we believe in a cause. The grace in this cause begins to work for us. Luke 8 vs 2-18

6) Prophetic offering or seeds: This type of offering is given to a man of God to get the anointing working in his life to move in our direction.

read 1kings 17:7-13 And Matthew 10:41

7) Special offering or thanksgiving offering: This type of offering is to show gratitude for something specific God has done

Now to the two most important types of offerings- *Tithes and first fruit*

8) Tithe: it's compulsory😊. Forget what people say, it's compulsory. It's for God. God has done all these amazing things in our lives and guess what he's asking for? Just 10% of our earnings. 10%

10% of our goods. 10% of what we've asked him for. Lets read Malachi 3:8

Malachi  3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.*

If you don't give your tithes, you're robbing God.

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.*

Why's it important to give our tithe? It's clear in the next verse

Malachi  3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.*

9) First fruits: our first fruit offerings are the best. Your first fruit is your first harvest. It is your first salary after you've gotten that job you've always wanted. Your first fruit is a honour unto God.

Exodus  34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.  34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

                            
                 IMPORTANCE OF OFFERING. 

Offering is very important to God. 

-We worship God through our offerings. 

-Our offering allows God to act on our behalf 

- offerings creates unlimited blessings 

- our offerings allows God to Get us out of trouble. 

- offerings disrupts the plans of the enemy.

I hope we do understand the different types of offering and it's importance

And when we are asked to give for one cause or the other we shouldn't grumble or complain. Our offerings open doors for us

Another thing I've come to realize is that monetary offerings or seeds doesn't necessarily translate to monetary blessings

That is, we shouldn't go and sow seed because we think that money will multiply in our lives. It can also come back to us in other ways. Health, protection, etc

Lastly, it is important for us not to owe God the compulsory offerings. Giving shows us how much we love our father.

EXPRESSING GOD'S LOVE

EXPRESSING GOD'S LOVE

Text is from Romans 5:5

Romans  5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

All Scriptures will be taken from KJV unless otherwise stated..

So from the text, we realize that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts

Means as Christians, we have the love of God flowing, existing, enveloping our

Since out of the heart springs forth the issues of life, it means as children of God, love should be flowing from us

We are love beings.

You are a love being

Tell yourself.. I am a Love being.

Means as Christians, we have the love of God flowing, existing, enveloping our

We are love beings.

You are a love being

Tell yourself...I am a love being

Say it over and over to yourself right now.

I'll give you about a minute to do so.

Okay let's proceed.

1 John  4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Check the last part.. Because as he is, so we are in this world

That is not a promise, that is what is happening currently

We are love beings

We don't have the capacity to hate.

Love is our nature. Love is who we are. Love is what God has made us to be.

I'm talking about the God kind of love

You can't fully love (Eros, philio) someone else if you don't walk in God's love.(Agape). 

You can't fully love your family, friends, babe, guy if you don't walk in the God kind of love.

Understanding that you have the love nature is one thing, actually living out that nature is another thing.

1 John 3:18 My little children,let us not love in word,neither in tongue;but in deed and in truth.

Love is much more that confessions. Love is actions!!

Let's talk about the characteristics of the God kind of Love

 2nd Corinthians 13:4-7 TPT version..

1. Love is large and incredibly patient.

Love is large. Patient. No hurries

It is not for short time. It is not conditional. You don't love today and hate tomorrow.

It is consistent.

[God loved us even while we were sinners. Sending his Son to die for us.

The people he came to die for were hard headed, yet, he longed to gather them like a hen gathers her chicks

It is patient.

2. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all.

The love is gentle. No gra gra. Considers others.

Everything is all about you. If you don't have a say, it cannot happen. If you don't approve, it won't work. You are the alpha and omega. That isn't love

You don't care about others. You rate people based on what they have or what they've acquired. That isn't love

Love is CONSISTENTLY kind TO ALL

3. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else.

Love celebrates others. Is genuinely happy for others

You see your friend making it, you are happy for them. That's love. You celebrate them. That's You see someone "you don't like" succeeding, anger begins to flood your heart. You begin to throw shade. Pour sand into their garri. That isn't love.

Love is happiness for others when they prosper.

4. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance.

Love is humility

See Paul, see what he achieved as an Apostle.

Philippians  3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;  3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.  3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

That is humility

That is love.

You use an iPhone.. Nobody can talk to you again. Your parents can't send you message.

You earn above your peers, nobody can talk to you again

You have MSc and PhD, we can't talk to you again

You have Lexus, pastor must fill form before he sees you.

Because you are staff, contract workers and gatemen can't talk to you

I'm just giving examples... I'm sure y'all get the gist?

That isn't love.

Love is humble. Love does not brag. Love doesn't magnify or inflate its importance

5. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense

I get angry easily.

I don't take nonsense

Nobody can ride me

They know me in my street, I don't take nonsense

Anybody crosses my path, I will give them fire for fire

Na small thing dey make me vex...Yen yen yen

This is not love.

Love is not easily irritated, because it's patient

Imagine God has anger issues or he has short temper 😁

We won't be here today

But God loves us. And he has poured that love in our hearts. We need to begin to walk in that love

We need to begin to express our nature as love beings

Finally

6. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.

Love is honest. Love seeks what is good, and does it. Love is not evil

Whatever you do that brings pain to others is not love

Love is holy. Love is pure. Love is sacred. Love is godly

In our relationship with the opposite sex, whatever you do that is contrary to God's word is not love.

That's why I said...If you don't fully walk in God's love, you can't truly love others

Lemme rephrase that

That's why I said.. If you don't fully walk in God's love (agape), you can't truly love(Eros, Philio) others.

A man that doesn't walk in God's love won't love you truly

A woman that doesn't walk in God's love,won't love you truly.

Who Should We Love?

Matthew  22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  22:38 This is the first and great commandment.  22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

We are to love

1. GOD

How do we love God, someone may ask?

Since love is in actions.

I'll show you a Scripture

John  14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Simple 

Now, what are the commandments? 

I'll show you another Scripture

1 John  3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1. Believe the name of his Son Jesus

2. Love one another

I believe as long as you are part of the family, number 1 is a done deal

Takes us to number 2

2. LOVING OTHERS

See, the love of God is in your heart

You are a love being.

Because you are living a hate-filled life right now doesn't negate that truth

 Romans  5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us! TPT

That love is being poured. Extravagantly. In heavy measure

You are a love being. That is your nature.

God is love and you have his Holy Spirit in you. You need to begin to walk in that reality.

Relating with others, you CAN express all the qualities of the God kind of love. Because that's who you are

Number 3

3. YOURSELF

You got to love yourself

As humans, we tend to love something or someone that has a high value to us

You need to know that God places the highest premium on you

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 marvelous light:

1 Corinthians  6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

That's how God rates you. You must begin to rate and love yourself the same way

You can't live your life anyhow. You can open your life to every Tom, Dick and Harry

Value yourself. Respect yourself. Be good to yourself.

See yourself the way God sees you

If you begin to see yourself and others the way God's sees you and them, you'd love easier

Love God. Love Others. Love Yourself.

Before I conclude, take another 3 minutes and begin to confess. 

I'm a Love Being

I love effortlessly, because that is who I am

Love is my nature

Love overcomes anger, envy, jealousy, hatred-whatever negative emotions you want to be done away with

I don't have the capacity to hate, because Love is my nature

I don't have the capacity to hate, because Love is my nature

 Let's make those confessions 

Pray in the Spirit too for a minute or 2

In Jesus Name we've prayed 

Amen?

In Conclusion

1. You are a love being. That's your nature 

2. You need to know, understand and begin to walk in that reality

3. Love God. Love Others. Love Yourself 

4. Loving is not by mouth. It's action

1 John  3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Amen

Thank you for this opportunity. 

TIMES AND SEASONS (PART 2).

So today we are talking on

What happens when you miss a season or get ahead of a season in life?

If you missed Sunday teaching on Times and seasons,please Click here to read

So you can flow with today's topic.

As we said yesterday,  every season has a purpose. If you miss a season,  you miss out on the purpose that season was supposed to play in your life. The end result is the purpose that season is playing.

If you get ahead of a season,  same thing.

There is a reason we have to go to primary school before secondary school. If you jump from Kindergarten to Secondary school,  you miss out on all that is to be taught in primary education and it affects you in secondary school.

What happens when it is the season to go to school and we miss it?

Then when we are 40, it dawns on us we have to go back to school. We will use a man for this case study, Man A.

So man A is 40, missed school season but wants to go back. He probably has kids and a wife, with a moderate paying job.

To go back to school he will have to stop working or reduce the hours,  this will affect his family and their standard of living (possibly for 4 years)

He will have to suffer for a while and be 100% dedicated to making it work this time around.

If he has a wife that is not supportive,  then this 4 years might be hard for him.
There will be no time for unnecessary chilling with friends,  he won't even have much time for himself.  His family will most likely also feel

The season man A missed that he is trying to make up for will become harder.

During the set season for him,  he had helpers,  people ready to pay school fees,  free time to study and be able to pass.
Everything in his life at that point aligned with that season

Now that he is trying to go back in time,  all the resources available for that season are not there anymore

When we miss a season,  it is usually hard to get the resources allocated for that season back in another season

We miss out on both the season and the resources that come with it.

If man A's wife is not able to assist with the family and he can't get a part time job to manage his home,  he might not be able to go back to that missed season. He will have to make do and move on.

Let's look at getting ahead of Seasons

I will use Sarah as an example,  God promised them a child at an appointed time but she didn't believe at a point.
She decided to cut corners and give Abraham Haggai to sleep with.


Now,  God's season and appointed time comes.  Sarah has a child,  Haggai has a child
Jealousy and regret sets in. The child will always be Abraham's offspring. The world is still going through the repercussion of this.

Seasons have a time frame.

You can't skip summer and jump to winter.

The Bible says these seasons and times will never cease

So when we miss or get ahead of seasons in our lives,  we miss out on allocated resources and the purpose of that season. We bring damage/pain/hurt to ourselves

Now what do we do if all these has happened?

1. Speak to God and confirm first if the door to that season has been shut.

It doesn't make sense trying to go back to a season with a shut door,  waste of more time and current season.  So Ask God.

We will use the story of Noah as an example.

Times and seasons were about to change,  God asked Noah to reach out to the people to be a part of the new time which was to come.
They all refused.

They didn't see nor believed in the change in time

Then it started raining.
They tried to join Noah so they can make it to this new time but the door was shut already.

Another person is Paul.

Paul wasted the early period of his life persecuting Christians

He spent the rest of his years doing more than those he persecuted when he converted.

He also faced persecution greatly (I see this as a repercussion not a punishment).

We need to know if the door has been shut first?

Is it possible to recover the lost season?

Am I passing through another season that will still bring me to where God wants?

Am I moving on with the season I am in?

These are the questions we ask God.

I've lost a season in my life.

I'm back on track but I paid for it with years,  precious time.

For some of us,  we might have to go back to exactly where we missed it.

Some of us might be allowed to move on or pass another route (probably longer).

But one thing I've realized in all of these is all of our actions have repercussions.

God is not punishing us for missing a season,  He is too loving for that.

The repercussions we face are results of the actions we took.

Here is my advice,  while praying to God to help you with what to do next,  own your mistakes and the repercussions that come with them.

Here is the sweet and glorious part.

Regardless of how long or how far we have missed it,  God is ever Gracious.  He is waiting for us to get back and continue with Him.


I remember playing some phone games while I was younger.  I will miss a turn and instead of the game ending,  I appear in another route in the game (probably longer)  or I go back a few stages

Who remembers this game?

Sometimes we miss and even get to continue from the same stage in the game.

This is how I see life,  when we miss seasons or opportunities.

God doesn't want us to stay suffering.  He is very much interested in our restoration and continuing with him.

All we need to do is go back to Him.

Things will not get sweet immediately we go back.
You will have to sow in a lot of things (time especially).

We will have to redirect our focus like man A.

You might not even have time for yourself while trying to get back.

But be rest assured,  God will lead you through.

So number 1 again.

1. Know what God is saying,  if you are going back or continuing.

2. Dedicate yourself to Him and allow Him lead you on what to do.

3. Because of lack of resources missed or time,  you will need to put in more effort.  Be ready.

4. Here is the cheat code.

When we play our parts in trying to get back,  and we play it diligently,  God can make it easier.

I will be applying this Scripture in John to this:

Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
John 4:35 NIV

We might think that we have 10 years to pay for the lost seasons and times but when we stay with God and surrender to Him this time around,  10 years could mean 2 years for us or even 2 months

God is in charge of all times and seasons.

What it will take us 10 years to recover,  divine instructions from the secret place will help us do it in even 10 days

So we are back to our watch word.

Stay in the Secret place

Follow the instructions you get from there.

Be ready to put in work
Be ready to cut off distractions
Be ready!

We will be teaching on How to hear God and know when He is speaking on Sunday.

Let us pray

Thank you for your word Lord.
For helping us bounce back regardless of how long/much we've missed or gone astray.
Thank you for your love that is ever sure
Help us to stay glued to the secret place in 2019

Amen.

WORD ALIVE 2019 THEME: SUPERNATURAL HARVEST

Today,  our topic is SUPERNATURAL HARVEST.

And this is the theme God gave us as a family to walk in this year.

I will be sharing all that has been revealed to me in the past one month concerning this and I pray God speaks to us all Himself as I do

What is Harvest?

The process of gathering ripe produce from the farm.

What does the word SUPERNATURAL mean to you?.

The supernatural is a manifestation/event attributed to something beyond human/scientific understanding or the laws of nature.

There is only one person that can go against the natural order of things,  He is the supernatural Himself 🙌

This same person is also in charge of all times and seasons,  which the Harvest Time is part of.

He is the Lord of the Harvest
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”_
Matthew 9:38 NIV

And He is here to speak with us.

Let's read Amos 9 vs 13-end

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.
Amos 9:13‭-‬15 KJV

We start with verse 13

13) The time will come when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested

What does this mean?

People were harvesting,  they actually did have material abundance in the days of Prophet Amos.
They sowed and they reaped in due season.

But the prophet saw something that was about to happen in the future (our own present)

Something that would go against the natural order.

Men are planting seeds,  they expect to sit home for probably six months but boom 1 month,  the crops are ripe. Harvest is here earlier than expected

The KJV translation for vs 13 says

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.*
Amos 9:13 KJV

Who is a plowman?

Who is a reaper?

The reaper is the one that collects the crops,  basically harvest.

The plowman is the one that prepares the soil for the next harvest.

Now the prophecy is this,
While the person collecting the crops that came out too fast and sudden is doing this,  another is coming to quickly send him away so he can prepare for another planting.

The harvest is so plenty that the reaper is taking time to pack.

The next planting cannot wait,  so much that the plowman is ready to overtake the reaper and start his work

It says the sower/planter will be overtaken by the one who tread grapes.

The treader's duty is to take the grapes,  smash it and bring forth wine.

The planter is the one that plants/sows.

The treader is coming to overtake the planter.

While we are yet still planting,  harvest comes

This is a total disruption of order.

We probably have one harvest and one seed time season for Every year.
But for this supernatural harvest,  every day will be sowing,  everyday will be for harvesting

And it will all be happening so fast

For God's supernatural harvest,  we have more harvest than a season can ever contain*

Still on the verse 13, it says the mountains shall drop sweet wine

Please who has seen grapevines grow on mountains or high hills?

But you see this season of supernatural harvest,  fruit will drop from unexpected places.

Where we do not expect from,  the most unusual place,  we will see fruit drop from there.

And all of this is happening so fast,  faster than we can contain

Let me move away from crops and give relatable examples.

Let's say an idea pops into your head to start a company.

As it is popping, before it lands completely,  someone is coming to you to ask about something similar if you know anyone that does such

You decide to team up with them.  Just as you guys are working on production,  another company is coming to order way more than you produced

Everything is happening so fast.

Maybe before,  all these time you use to execute the idea,  you are still using it to think and understand it.
Like,  it would have still been an idea

But now,  everything will be happening very fast.

Something beyond the natural

It says the mountains shall drop sweet wine

Quality wine from the most unexpected place.

Things of great quality from in an unusual manner.

: I see life changing ideas being birthed
Things that even you would never have thought you could come up with

And they won't just be anything,  sweet wine,  of great

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.*
Amos 9:14 KJV

Those of you that have missed seasons,  time to rebuild 😁😁😁😁😁.

This is also happening fast. You will not have to labor for sooooo long.  You will rebuild quickly and plant almost immediately,  you will plant and also drink of the sweet wine.

The lost seasons will not hold you back this season you are entering.

And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.*
Amos 9:15 KJV

Then the Lord Himself will establish you in such a way that as you've entered this supernatural harvest,  it does not end with 2019, it is forever

I'm sure we've all met people that everything they do,  it always work.

They just have to think it.

Like say na only them dey this world

Well,  you've entered that place too and it is not on and off,  it is a forever establishment

Now,  do we just sit in this season of supernatural Harvest and do nothing?


NO!

The plowman, the reaper, the treader, they are all labourers, they all *WORK*

This is what we should all be ready for;  *WORK*

Under this new dispensation, the work is nothing compared to the harvest.
People will accuse you if you are not careful, this is because your work will not tally with the blessings

Deuteronomy 11:14 then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil.

God is sending rain when we need it,  the early (former)  and latter rains.

The early rain comes usually in autumn and it is to establish the seeds to be planted.

I believe this is the word of God coming to us,  and it is here in due time and season

The latter rain comes in spring,  just before the harvest. It helps the crop grow well for harvest

The outpour of the Holy spirit has happened for us already

To make certain these crops being planted grow well (fast as intended by God),  we must stay working with/in the Spirit.

We must work hand in hand with Him.
Wait for instructions,  follow them closely and allow Him lead us

We must be open to accept the rains coming in due seasons for it is only then we can bring in a harvest of grains,  new wine and olive oil from unusual and unexpected places

: But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won’t wither, the fruit won’t fail. Every month they’ll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”*
Ezekiel 47:12 MSG


This is what happens with the one who stays close to God,  allowing the Holy Spirit do the watering.
You will not only be productive in the business/career world,  your leaves will have healing.

You will do exploits even for God

You see some Christians (church goer),  it's either you are "very spiritual" and being productive in the church or you are very rich in the business world.

It's like a pick one thing

Not for us in this dispensation.

As they are calling richest man in the world to come and give speech,  you are stopping in the middle of the speech to give sight to a blind man around.


Whoooooooosh

Just stay and work with/in the spirit.

Today, I bring the word of God to you.
One spoken by The Prophet Amos of a time to come and I tell you that time has come,  it is NOW.

And here is what God says I should tell you,  we are not just entering a season of supernatural harvest.  This is the beigining of a lifestyle of Supernatural Harvest

: Stay,  WORK with and in the spirit

Welcome to the beginning of your supernatural Harvest.

I don't know what you will be harvesting personally but I see a large harvest of souls for the church at large.

We are in the days of God's power

The Lord is raising a great Army

And the Lord of the Harvest wants to work with you for this also

Please let's all yield and surrender to Him completely.

The end is not near,  it is here.

Thank you so much for your time.