CONTENTMENT: BENCHMARK FOR JOYFUL LIVING - (Part - 1)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. - 1 Timothy6:6-8 ; KJV

Contentment is one of the most difficult Christian virtues to attain, yet it is one of the most crucial virtue needed to enjoy relationship with God and people around us. We live in a world that is hostile to contentment. Temptation to be discontent is everywhere. We are daily bombarded with advertisements telling us we are incomplete and unfulfilled. Friend’s achievements sometimes stir up our sense of inferiority, our lack prove to us that we live a wretched life. We are in the world full of lack of satisfaction. In all these, how should the kingdom people live?

What does contentment actually mean?
Contentment means to be completely sufficient, to need absolutely nothing. It means to be fulfilled, satisfied, and complete.

The 3 Stages of Life
The three stages of life is given the acronym, “BED”:

#1: Stage – 1: Birth – At birth we brought nothing into this world (1 Timothy 6:7). When we entered the world, we came with only two things: (I) our bodies and (ii) our life. Beyond these, we were stark naked. We had nothing else and we will take nothing in return journey (Job 1:21; Ecclesiastes 5:15-16).

#2: Stage – 2: Experience – This is the stage between birth and death – it is the stage of life. In the stage of experience, we need some necessities that we must have to sustain life. The three essential things needed in this stage of life are:
     (I) Food – Exodus 21:10
  (ii) Clothing – Exodus 21:10
(iii) Shelter – Ecclesiastes 7:12; NIV

A striking point was made by William Barclay: It is not that Christianity pleads for poverty. There is no special virtue in being poor, and no happiness in having a constant struggle to make ends meet. But Christianity does plead for two things:
• Christianity pleads for the realization that it is never in the power of things to bring happiness (Luke 12:15).
• Christianity pleads for the concentration upon the things which are permanent, the things that a man can take with him when in the end he dies. (John 6:27).

#3: Stage – 3: Death – The fact of death is an absolute certainty. At death, we carry nothing – absolutely nothing out of this world. We will  leave this world just as we entered it, with nothing.

 Ponder on the following:
√ Godliness with Contentment is a great gain - 1 Timothy 6:6
√ Contentment gives freedom from the love of money - Hebrews 13:5
√ Contentment is the price tag of a true soldier - Luke 3:14
√ Contentment is the pathway to fulfilling your Purpose - Philippians 4:11-13
√ Contentment is a shield, it delivers from evil - Proverbs 19:23

CONCLUSION
The word contentment means an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace in spite of outward circumstances. True contentment comes from

godliness in the heart, not wealth in the hand. A person who depends on material things for peace and assurance will never be satisfied, for material things have a way of losing their appeal. There are many wealthy people, who go to psychiatrists and who are more apt to try to commit suicide. Beware of covetousness, live a life of contentment. You will always experience the season of Joyful returns. Shalom!

© Revd Dr Tade Obaniyi,
Set Man, Dayspring Vision

[WhatsApp: 07031020015; E-mail: dayspringvision8@gmail.com]

MAXIMIZING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS FOR GREATER IMPACTS

Christianity is a race. Our consciousness of fulfilling the purpose must go with the discovery, development, and deployment of the spiritual gift the Lord made available to everyone who seeks Him.

What is a Spiritual Gift?
Ken Hemphill defines a spiritual gift as an individual manifestation of grace from the Father that enables him or her to serve the Lord and thus play a vital role in His plan for the redemption of the world.
Hence, spiritual gift is special ability, skill or capacity given by the Holy Spirit at salvation which enables the believer to perform a meaningful work in the church and society with ease and effectiveness for kingdom growth.

 TYPES OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

a. Revelation Gifts: These can manifest in the form of:
√ Word of wisdom: Right application of knowledge  Matthew 4:4, 7, 10
√ Word of knowledge: Facts supernaturally released by Holy Spirits prompting  Acts 5:3
√ Discerning of the spirits: Perceiving the source of manifestation  Acts 8:23; 16:18

b. Vocal Gifts: These can manifest in the form of:

√ Gift of tongues: The Supernatural means of Communication - 1 Corinthians 2:10 
Two types of tongues
i. Tongues as a sign to believers  Mark 16:17
ii. Tongues as Foreign language to the Speaker  Acts 2:4-8

√ Interpretation of Tongues – The act of giving meaning to the Spiritual unknown language spoken through the inspired vessel to the Church (1 Corinthians 2:10)

√ Prophecy - This is an inspired utterance to proclaim the mind of God on events of life. The prophecy can be fore-telling (Prediction of the future occurrence), or forth-telling (Declarations of the written word of God) - -Rom 12:6; 2 Pet 1:20-21

c. Power Gifts: These can manifest in the form of:

√ Gift of faith - The Gift of Faith is God-given ability to believe Him for the impossible - 1 Cor 12:9; Mark 11:22-23.
Dimensions of faith
• Saving faith = The common endowment for all believers (Eph 2:8).
• Wonder working faith = An Unusual Measure of Trust in God for Greater works (Mark 11:22-24).

√ Gifts of healings - This is the supernatural endowment upon the anointed one to bring sound health without the intervention of medical science (1 Cor 12:9, 28).

√ Working of miracles -  This is the act of bringing into existence what is contrary to natural occurrences (1 Cor 12:10).

EFFECTIVE MANIFESTATIONS OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS:

Believers in Christ Jesus did not just get spiritual gifts to showcase themselves, but to bring profit to the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:7). To be effective in the divine manifestations of the spiritual gifts involves:

1. Distribution of Spiritual Gifts (Heb 2:4):
We are all equally born into the body of Christ to do good works, but we are not equally gifted. The spiritual gifts are given to each one of us as the Lord wishes. God gives spiritual gifts according to:

• God's will - Spiritual Gifts do not come by our desire. God distributes to everyone according to His will (Heb 2:4; 1 Cor 12:11). The Psalmist said, our God is in heaven, doing whatever pleases Him (Psalm 115:3). No man can gain access to any spiritual gifts on his own, except the one pleasing to God to release unto him.

• Our Good Standing with God - Spiritual Gifts are given as a loan from the Lord. We have access to the offer in order to give back profit in our labour (1 Cor 12:7). One of the criteria for God releasing the offer of the Spiritual Gifts to us is our right standing with Him (Eccl 2:26).

• Individual Ability - Kingdom business operates on abilities. Every believer has elastic limit to which he may be stretched. Gifts of the Spirit responds to individual abilities (Matt 25:15). God does this to prevent us from being overburdened and possibly break down in the course of discharging our God-given responsibilities.

• Measure of Grace - The grace of God for salvation is a general grace. It appears to all men to teach us to live Godly in this present age (Titus 2:11-12). But the grace for impacts is a specific grace made available to each man as he has needs for it (Rom 12:6; John 1:16). The measure of Gifts of the Spirit a man can manifest is a function of the measure of grace God made available to him. But, grace can be maximized by the level of Sacrifice God revealed to man to pay.

2. Discovery of Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 12:1):
The first step to manifestations of the Spiritual Gifts is the discovery of the Gifts God gives. This is a step of knowing what God gives to you to contribute to the glory of your time.

Guidelines to discover your Spiritual Gift(s).

• Ease - What is easier for you than for others?
• Enjoyment - What puts a smile on your face?
• Excitement  - What is your passion?  What do you like talking about?
• Experience: What has God opened the door for you to do?
• Effectiveness - What are you good at? Are the blessings of God upon what you have given yourself to do?

3. Development of Your Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 14:12):
Your spiritual gift(s) is a divine trust. God gives to man to proof his dependency on Him. No one should lay claim of ownership of the grace God gives for exploits of the faith.

Guidelines to Develop your Spiritual Gift(s).

• Pray for opportunities to manifest your spiritual gifts.
• Fan into flame the grace you have received by giving quality time to study the word of God and for effective prayer.
• Accept responsibility in the area of your spiritual gifts.
• Take time to learn from those who are more experienced in the area of your spiritual gifts.
• Seek feedback from those who are older than you in the faith and accept correction to improve.

4. Deployment of Your Spiritual Gift(s)
The deployment of your spiritual gifts has to do with putting to work the divine endowment placed upon you for maxima impacts in your world.

Guidelines to Develop your Spiritual Gift(s).

• Pray for empowerment and direction from the Holy Spirit for effective uses of your spiritual gifts.
• Use what you have been given for God's glory.
• Give the glory for impact in the discharge of your spiritual gifts back to God.
• Seek to encourage others in their use of Spiritual Gifts.
• Use whatever gift you are given to the fullest in order to receive divine reward (Matt 25:14-30).

Note:
God gives Spiritual Gifts to test our:

• Trust in Him - Our loyalty must be to God alone. The man God endowed with Grace must not put confidence on the gift at the expense of the giver.

• Stewardship of the grace - Operation of the Spiritual Gifts is a product of grace. The steward of grace is a man who owns nothing, but is responsible for all things. We must use the Spiritual Gifts with the consciousness that we shall give account of our stewardship to God one day (1 Pet 4:10-11).

Peace!

© Rev'd Dr. Tade Obaniyi.

Set man, Dayspring Vision Ministry.

PLANTING: THE PATH TO FRUITFULNESS

 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. - Psalm 126:5-6; KJV

Fruitfulness in life begins with planting. The season of planting sometimes goes with tears, but the end result will be joyful return.
It is much better to plant than to build. When a man build, the nature sets in gradually to rusts the iron and decay the wood. But if a man plants, the nature sets in gradually to complete his unfinished work. When a man plants a seed, he will reap wheat, also, when he plants a branch of tree, he will reap an oak. Make up your mind to plant viable seed this year; you will indeed reap bumper harvest.

BEAUTY OF LIFE

• The beauty of life is to experience its Fruitfulness.
• Fruitfulness in life responds to understanding of time  

 Ecclesiastes  3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

• When you plant a seed, you shall reap wheat,, when you plants a branch of tree, you shall reap an oak

THREE STAGES OF LIFE

1. The Yearning Stage  - This is the level of aspiration. At this stage we conceive ideas of greatness. Some of these ideas when passing through the test of time will see the light of the day, while others may not survive.

In your aspirations, beware of daydreaming. Let God lead your thought.
James  4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:  4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

2. The Learning Stage - The season of acquiring knowledge for future use. At this level, your future is dependent on the knowledge acquired.

This is a stage to plant your seed. Some people plant viable seed, while others plant non viable seed.

In learning, avoid the temptation of leaning on your understanding. You must be guided by faith:

 Ecclesiastes  11:4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
Ecclesiastes  11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

THE VIABLE SEED TO SOW THIS YEAR IS:
The Seed of service:
Psalms  100:2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Deuteronomy  28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;  
28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

THREE DIMENSIONS OF SERVICE THAT CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIVING:
I. Service to God
√ Present your body to God;
Romans  12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
√ Avoid eye service
Ephesians  6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;  
6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  
6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

II. Service to Humanity
√ Your gift to the poor is a divine investment
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.

III. Service to self
 √ Pray to secure open doors When you pray, you are loading your heaven for the downpour of the rain of blessings.
Ecclesiastics 11:3  If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
√ Pursue God-given vision.
 √ You cannot achieve what you cannot conceive.
 √ You cannot finish what you do not start.


3. The Earning Stage - This is the time of gaining from your wealth of knowledge acquired. It is a season of reaping the rewards of your labour.

Psalms  126:5  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.   Proverbs  22:8  He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

The earning stage is the pay day. This is the stage where the Law of Harvest comes to display.

2 Corinthians  9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Your seed's nature determines the nature of expected harvest.
Galatians  6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Do not be weary, because it takes consistency to win the race.
Galatians  6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

LET US PRAY:

DIVINE MANDATE FOR THE YEAR 2020:

• You will harvest the fruit of your labour:

Isaiah  65:21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
• You will enjoy the work of your hand:
Isaiah  65:22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
• No more labour loss
Isaiah  65:23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
• Every seed you sow in tears, you shall reap with joy:
Psalms  126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.


Thrive!


© Rev'd Dr. Tade Obaniyi

SOWING IN TEARS

Psalms  126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

• Psalm 126:5 is a word of assurance for the wearied labourer who found it difficult to advance in the pursuit of purpose.

• Sowing in tears sometimes comes in the midst of deliverance from captivity (Psalm 126:1)

• Sowing ordinarily is a Season of self denial - 
Sowing is a Season of parting with provision meant to supply present needs (Eccl 11:1).

•Sowing is a Season of intensionally scattering the precious seed to die. (John 12:24)

• Sowing may be a hard labour, but the end result of true labour brings Refreshing (2 Tim 2:6)
The greatest virtue for the sower is patience. (James 5:7)

SOWING WITH TEARS MAY COME IN FORM OF SAD SOWING.

SAD SOWING MAY BE CHARACTERIZED AS:

#1: Sowing in the season of scarcity. - Gen 26:1-2; 12

√ The season when you cast your bread intentionally upon the waters. It may be painful, yet it is full of hope (Eccl 11:1)

√ Sowing at this level required faith (Peter said, "We have toiled all night, but catch nothing - Luke 5:4-7)

NB:
> We must not give up. (Prov 24:10)

>We never know where God's shower of blessings may fall (Eccl 11:6)

> We may weep, yet we must keep sowing. (Psalm 126:5)

#2: Sowing in the season of insecurity - Judges 6:3-5

√ Our sowing may sometimes be a painful experience in time of war.

√ We may have good whether, and fertile soil, but lack security to go out for the sowing (Mideanites against Israel - Judges 6:3-5)

√ The Mideanites in our land may be the terror of insurgency, bandits on our highways, Armed Robbers, Kidnappers, etc. (2 Cor 11:26)

√ Despite those things beyond our control, we must keep sowing our seed.

THE DIVINE PLAN FOR THE KINGDOM PEOPLE

* Divine Plan for You this Year is: JOYFUL RETURN 

You must prepare for:

√ More than enough - Psalm 66:12; Psalm 118:5

√ Plan your days - We must plan our days to avoid sudden lack - Psalm 49:20

√ Help the needy among you. - Deut 15:11

√ You must not neglect your service to God (Deut 8:11-14)

√ You must sow the seeds of the Gospel for the salvation of men - The Seed is the word of God - Luke 8:11

LET US PRAY:

• Lord, give me joy in my labour.

• I refuse labour loss

• Lord, give me rest in the season of labour [Mark 4:27-29]

• I receive grace to reap the fruits of my labour in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

© Rev'd Dr. Tade Obaniyi

INFIDELITY IN MARRIAGE: CAUSES AND THE WAY OUT.

Hebrews  13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

PREAMBLE:
Infidelity can be defined as any action that violates an implicit or explicit agreement between two people, thereby undermining the relationship. The action may be physical or emotional in nature.
Marital infidelity is an act of one or both couple cheating on the partner or on each other.

LIKELY CAUSES OF INFIDELITY
Cheating on each other may be as a result of one of the following:
1. Attachment deficit disorder - Having flair for another person outside Marital relationship
2. Unresolved childhood trauma - The trauma may be as an attitude of masturbation or other misbehavior for which the person uses the excitement of illicit sex hand romance romance a romance as a distraction from painful feelings.
3. Seeking alternative due to nasty experience in marriage - Sometimes the cheater knows that he or she is in a lousy relationship and uses those feelings to justify the infidelity or to locate a new partner before abandoning the old one.
4. Lack of sexual fire - Sometimes the primary relationship lacks sexual satisfaction or emotional intimacy, so the cheater has a one-night stand or an affair to fill the void. And so it goes.
5. Emotional Disconnection - Probably the most commonly cited cause of infidelity is a sense of emotional disconnection from a partner.
NB:
An emotional affairs may start off looking like a friendship, but over time the level of intimacy increases and more personal information, especially that relating to dissatisfaction and unhappiness in their primary relationship, can become an integral part of the dynamic. The “friend” begins to take on the role as the partner, becoming a substitute in thoughts, plans, and fantasies.

6. Feeling New or Exiled Emotions - Exiled emotions are emotions repressed for a period of time due to certain activities or spirituality that gives no room for its manifestations. When it is not properly dealt with, it may spring up again. Happy people who cheat may do so to experience new or exiled emotions

7. Manifestations of Stranger within - One of the problems of human being is the allure of lives not lived. They use extracurricular sex to see who they might have been if they’d opted for a different path. This is a form of deception of highest order where infidelity introduces the individual to the stranger within.

8. Self-Exploration - Searching for a new sense of self is likely the most powerful of these reasons. When these individuals cheat, they’re not looking for another person, they’re looking for themselves (or, at the very least, for a lost or long-ignored aspect of themselves.).

LIKELY SIGNS OF INFIDELITY
1. Sudden Changes in Appearance - A partner may suddenly change the pattern of his or her dressing. If he or she is dressing differently for work, there may be a coworker he or she is trying to impress.

 2. Dramatical Changes in Attitude -  Men often get fidgety or irritable when they're supposed to be in two places at once. If the other woman demands more of his time, he may start arguments with you so he can storm out and rendezvous with her.
Another aspects of dramatic change may involve, criticizing you for things that hadn't bothered him before, like your appearance, eating habits or intelligence

3. Becoming Emotional Distant - Human emotions or love field can only accommodate one person successfully at a time. Emotional distance is one of the strongest symptoms of infidelity. Because it's hard to be emotionally invested in two people at once and to be emotionally intimate with your partner  while you betray his or her trust.

4. Being Secretive - Marriage thrives with openness in virtually every aspect of relationship.
Genesis  2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
The Secretive attitude is an unusual or unexplained behavior. If your partner becomes elusive about his whereabouts, something may probably be going wrong.

5. Epileptic Relationship - Marital union is a journey of companionship.
Matthew  19:6  "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
The ultimate purpose of marriage is companionship. Marriage succeeds when the couple are frequently available or reachable to each other.
When your spouse's mobile phone turned off during times you normally reach him, or he does claim not to have had any cell service for hours at a time. Or may be he says he has business meetings all night or a work conference all weekend. This may be a strategy to keep company with strange partner.

6. Overly Defensive - A partner who is committed to right standing does not need to exercise defense mechanism in order to justify his or her actions.

God bless you!

© Rev'd Dr. Tade Obaniyi