#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 14/5/2017
14/5/2017 LESSON 11
CREATING A POOL OF RESOURCES
Quarter’s Theme: UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP
Unit 3: Pathway To Prosperity (Lessons 7-12)
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 350
Devotional Reading: MATT. 25:14-30
Topic For Adults
BUILDING WEALTH AND KEEPING IT
Topic For Youths
LOOK UNTO GOD TO MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS
Topic For Intermediates
DON’T EAT ALL, SAVE FOR THE RAINING DAY
Scripture Lesson
GEN. 41:33-37, 53-55; PS. 92:12-15; 1 SAM. 2:7-9; GEN. 26:12-14; JER. 17:7-8; 29:11; PROV. 3:9-10; HEB. 13:5
(PRESERVATION AND CONSOLIDATION MONTH)
MEMORY VERSE
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. Gen. 26:12 (NKJV)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 14/5/2017
Reaping Your Harvest
Ps. 128:2, 1 Cor. 3:5-8
The saying goes that whatsoever a man sows, he shall reap. Life is filled with choices that affect us on a daily basis, which means everyday choices are not without significance. We need wisdom to make wise choices. What we reap was planted either naturally or purposely, either by God or man or for either positive or negative reasons. Gal. 6:7-8, says we reap in the same kind as we sow, this is the absolute nature of the law in that context. Blessed is everyone whether high or low, rich or poor in the world, who fears and walks in His ways. When you plant on a good soil and invest wisely, you will reap bountifully (good harvest). Therefore sow righteousness and reap righteousness.
POINT OF EMPHASIS: By taking care of today you provide for tomorrow.
PRAYER POINT God, help me to invest into the right soil.
BACKGROUND
Creating a pool of resources especially during a period of economic recession is a different task that cannot be achieved without God’s backing. God wants His children to prosper. Therefore, trust Him and follow His instructions in any condition that you may find yourself.
Becoming successful in these hard times takes a heart that is truly strong and unshakeable in Christ to get to the top of the ladder and it is only those who hold firmly on God’s promises that overcome the challenges of life, even in the time of famine(recession).
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: GENERATING STREAMS OF INCOME (GEN. 41:33-37, 53-55; PS. 92:12-15; 1 SAM. 2:7-9)
God our great provider is capable of providing all our needs as we so desire. The word of God says we should ask and it shall be given. The Spirit of God which dwell upon Joseph acknowledge by Pharaoh (Gen. 41:38), enabled him to dig deeper into the future to foresee the challenges ahead. He gave Pharaoh a useful advice to save during the seven years of plenty for the seven years of famine. Following the advice of financial experts make those who are wise and humble enough to be prudent and careful in giving out. The excess produce that was stored during the period of plenty was sold in the time of famine to make a reasonable profit.
Joseph was found faithful as a steward ought to be. It seems that the famine was all over the world but in Egypt there was food. It was probably that the public follow the example of Joseph to store food for themselves alongside the one he brought up for the king. The wise saves for the raining day. Wisdom and backing of God is what is needed to prosper in life.
The cost of maintaining the needs in the family is on the increase in recent times. The cost of living is on the high side and the wages and salary earned cannot meet these needs, hence, the need for other sources. With the aforementioned, we cannot rely on one source of income. Its better to diversify your sources of income to create additional wealth. You can invest in the market and manage your own portfolio or hire a financial planner to help you do it.
You need to stay off debt, if debt is an option to you, you’ll always remain in debt (Prov. 22:7). If we change our money habits, we can change our lives. Money is a reflection of you, you can attract or repel money and opportunities. In order to excel or succeed, you need God’s leading and for your dream and vision to come through you must first have an encounter with the Saviour (Matt. 6:33). Once this is established, God opens the eyes of His children to other areas of business where they can excel above their counterparts. Rather than seeking to borrow and meet up with the challenges of life, we are enjoined to seek the face of God and prevail over the economic situation in which we find ourselves.
PART 2: FOCUS ON CHRIST FOR SUSTENANCE (GEN. 26:12-14; JER. 17:7-8; 29:11; PROV. 3:9-10)
Isaac sowed in the land of the Philistines though he had no land of his own. Nevertheless, God blessed, prospered him and made the land to yield good fruit for him. That same year when there was famine in the land, God blessed him with great increase. The word of God says “They are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance (Ps. 37:19) NRSV.
It is proper to lay hold on the promise of God in Isaiah 65:13; others may not have enough during famine but the servant of God will have plenty. As God is the Psalmist’s saviour and Creator so He’s ours (Ps. 121:1-2) Our help will surely come from Him.
When God opens doors of opportunities to abundance, there is need to be cautious. God detests a proud heart and exalts the humble. Christians should be careful not to misuse the opportunities given. What we have is given to us by God and such should be well managed.
Jesus is the only source of salvation, safety and sustenance and we need to be thankful for these (Rom. 11:36). Maintaining our income is very essential for the advancement of God’s kingdom and accom-plishing your divine assignment. It is an integral part of life, we should give into good soil that will yield more than enough. The income accrued overtime should be wisely invested in other areas where your money will work for you, and the other saved for the future.
PART 3: REMEMBER GOD (HEB. 13:5 LK. 12:15-21)
In everything we do we should remember God because He is the All in All. Our possession today was given by Him for a purpose. We should place God first in all we do. ’Remember’ it is a command not a suggestion. Remember your desperation when God saved you so that you will rejoice in what Christ did for you on the cross.
When we think of what God has done, it curbs our pride, deepens our love for Christ (Lk. 7:36-50), and equally deepens our compassion for the lost. Do you ever look at the face of people and see the hurt that sin has brought into their lives (Matt. 9:36)? Remembering God, results in praise for His abundant grace, if your heart has grown cold towards the Lord, remember where you were when He saved you and where you are today.
We should not love money more than God but help in building for the Lord and the things of the kingdom.
CONCLUSION
Creating a pool of resources requires self-control. To discipline oneself is very difficult but we can do this because our self-control comes from our confidence that God is in control of our lives.
In this lesson, we discover that it is only God that we can run to for open heaven out of our financial difficulties. In achieving these, we have to forego a lot of things that is sinful which the devil has tied around us, preventing us from breaking free. All these stand as a barrier between you and God Almighty, but thank God for His marvellous grace that abound that has reconciled us to God.
QUESTIONS
- How do you become successful in life?
- What are the ways through which you can generate additional income?
- What made Isaac to prosper in the land of the Philistine?
- Why do people live above their income?
- What advice will you give to a Christian at a time of recession?
