WE ARE CALLED TO GREATNESS

You must have a DESIRE, a great desire/NOT TO SETTLE FOR LESS.

Psalm 71:21 May You increase my greatness.

·       What is greatness?

·       Can you be considered great without great wealth, positions and education.

·       Could a man created to embody the image of God be just anything else that is tossed around by every challenge of the world?

·       How can this church be great?

·       How can I bring up great children?

·       How can I be a great mother?

·       How can I be a great father.’,

·       I want to be a great servant.

·       How can I make my business great.

WHAT REALLY IS TRUE GREATNESS.

·       True Greatness is leads to posterity ;it does things with a mind that they must last.

·       It’s born from faithfulness.

·       True greatness seeks to solve problems.

·       True greatness seeks to bring positive change.

·       True greatness is selflessness.VV

Five Keys to greatness.

1.     Honor.

2.     Humility.

3.     Service.

4.     Sacrifice.

5.     Health.

                           i.          Spiritual health.

                          ii.          Mental health.

                        iii.          Physical health

1.                   HONOR.

Honor is recognizing what God has placed in someone and how it’s related to you.

Honor to those that are in authority-The earthly leaders.

1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

·       Honor the leaders and those in authority.

·       Some blessings are held in the hands of those in authority-The may not be born again.

·       You can only unlock them through honor.

·       You may not like their leadership, but do not call them names like, ‘Kasongo’ and others. This can block your rise to those levels.

·       A Christian cannot be a Christian partially.

·       You cannot be very obedient here in giving tithes and offerings, but you don’t pay govt taxes.

·       A great worshiper or leader here but too messy at work. Comes late and never finishes his works.

SPIRITUAL honor.

Numbers 12:1- Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this.3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid    to speak against my servant Moses?”

·       Moses was younger but he was the anointed one.

·       My sister Rev. Tabitha is younger, but when I come to Kingdom queens ,she is the spiritual authority.

·       I have older brothers, but if they come in the church at Dallas, they have to submit to my authority as the senior pastor.

·       Do you notice that he is the one praying for Miriam’s deliverance? Because he is the one with authority to unlock the curse on her?

1 Samuel 13:13“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

David brings the favor of the anointing to the battlefield, but his brothers doesn’t recognize it.

1 Samuel 17:28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”

1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work in preaching and teaching.

Honor to the fathers and destiny helpers

BIOLOGICAL fathers

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6:2 “Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise.

Genesis 27:37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

Do you notice Isaac had the authority to MAKE Jacob Lord Over Esau?

·       You do not honor your father because he did good to you, it’s just because he is your father.

·       You are not to honor him because he paid your tuition in Scheel, it’s just because he is your father

·       You are not to honor him because he lived with you, just because he is your father.

SPIRITUAL FATHERS.

2 Kings 2:1- When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel. “But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today? ”Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho. “And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today? “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan. “And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you? ”Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

Genesis 49:26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.

·       The bible tells us how David, Joseph were sent by their fathers. They were obedient-they had honor.

·       What about Isaack who obeyed to the level of lying on the altar to be sacrificed?

destiny helper

A destiny helper is someone divinely connected to your destiny. He or she helps you to achieve what God has predestined you to be.

§  The Aron/people that spoke for you to be where God wanted you to be.

Exodus 4:15-16 Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say. 

§  The Jonathan/people that stuck with you to help you be the king you are. 1 Samuel 19

§  The Mordecai that stood with you to be queen.

§  The pharaoh’s battler who remembers you from prison.

Some examples of destiny helper relationships include David and Jonathan, Moses and Aaron.

·       Some fall short of growth because they cannot consistently honor their fathers.

·       They reach a point where they feel they are good to go.

·       There are those who close doors ahead of them because they fail to honor destiny helpers.

·       Honor is not deficiency.

·       Honor is not weakness.

·       Honor is recognizing what God has placed in someone and how it’s related to you.

Who could have imagined that a fellow prisoner would get Joseph to the palace.

Esther 2:20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

·       You can never grow so big and successful that you have no one on earth to honor, Esther maintained her honor even as queen.

·       On the other hand, Vashti thought she was too favored to give honor hence her downfall.

·       There are blessings we can never receive until we unlock those specific areas.

We talked about honor, but we must note that those who honor, in their path to greatness, shall receive honor.

·       When men honor you, do not think so highly of yourself.

·       When men honor you, do not think it’s because you are better than them.

·       When men honor you, do not think that they cannot do without you.

·       When men honor you, respect them for being wise and humble enough to honor you.

·       Above all honor the Lord God who has given you favor.

Proverb 18: Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

2.                   HUMILITY.

LET GOD BE THE ONE TO LIFT YOU UP.

Proverbs 22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Pride is the opposite.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

PRIDE BRINGS DESTRUCTION

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

IT IS ONLY A HUMBLE MAN WHO CAN WALK WITH GOD

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

GOD WILL EQUIP YOU TO BE HUMBLE ONLY OBEY-GROWTH.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

There is a challenge in the modern society where adulthood is mistaken for wisdom, someone turns 18 and they think they know it all.

·       When did we stop mentorship?

Apostle Paul is seen mentoring Timothy and Titus until they are bishops-But our children rarely run for council. They would rather consult google.

HUMILITY ASKS THAT YOU BARE WITH ONE ANOTHER

We talked about love last week and we said love bares with one another. Did you know you cannot claim to be humble without tolerance?

Ephesians 4:2 With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

James 4:6, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humility tells you to forgive and move on

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Romans 12:19: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

v Great people forgive; they don’t have time to waste dwelling on the past.

v Neither do they have the energy to waste thinking of how they were hurt.

v They have they wisdom to know where to focus their energy.

v They know that revenge belongs to God.

o   If you were Moses when Miriam and Aron murmured, would you forgive them and even intercede for them?

o   If you were Joseph when his brothers showed up in Egypt, would show them kindness?

o   Abraham forgave Lot and tolerated him.

3.                   SERVICE

Jesus showed the example of service.

Mark 10:45 - For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10 - As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Galatians 5:13 - For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Serve God.

Romans 12:11 - Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

Ephesians 6:7 - With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

1 Chronicles 28:9 - And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understand all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

Live a life of service.

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.

DO NOT FORGET THE HELPLESS

Psalm 41:1-2. How blessed is he who considers the helpless. The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.

4.                   THE HEART OF GRATITUDE

·       Have you seen people who are very aggressive in borrowing but very slow in being thankful?

·       A man that will call you for help 10 times but will text a quick thanks after the help?

·       Someone who sees only when they were not helped but never remembers to honor those who helped them.

·       Gratitude will open doors to greatness.

·       A grateful man is a wise man, he knows being grateful will keep the hands open.

·       A grateful man is a honorable man, time does not erase his gratefulness.

Luke 17:12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

All the rest left without a word of thanks, their minds preoccupied only with themselves, gripped with a spirit of ingratitude.

Today, too, ingratitude and thanklessness are far too common. Children forget to thank their parents for all that they do. Common courtesy is scorned. We take for granted the ways that others help us. Above all, we fail to thank God for His blessings.

·       Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible.

·       One of the Bible’s indictments against rebellious humanity is ungratefulness.

Romans 1:21 “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”.

1 Chronicles 29:12-14, “Wealth and honor come from you … We give you thanks, and praise your glorious name … Everything comes from you”

An ungrateful heart is cold toward God and indifferent to His mercy and love. It is a heart that has forgotten how dependent we are on God for everything.

·       thankfulness is the natural outflowing of a heart that is attuned to God.

·       A spirit of thanksgiving is always the mark of a joyous Christian.

Psalms 147:7“Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.”

Colossians 3:15 “15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” 

Be thankful to those who did you well.

2 Samuel 9:1 And David said, is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

·       You want to be great and leave marks that will transcend generations? Be grateful.

·       You want to build lasting friendships that will stand for many years? Be grateful.

Be thankful to God at all times.

Psalm 100:4-5⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Why should we be thankful? Because God has blessed us, and we should be thankful for each blessing.

Give thanks in all situation

Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This apostle was speaking from a little prison in Rome, separated from friends, unjustly accused, brutally treated—if ever a person had a right to complain, it was this man, languishing almost forgotten in a harsh Roman prison. But instead of complaints, his lips rang with words of praise and thanksgiving!

Daniel 6:10 “he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before”,

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”,

 Colossians 1:12 “You will even be able to thank God in the midst of pain and distress because you are privileged to share the lot of those who are living in the light”.

Be content

Philippians 4:12, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” 

·       Are you constantly preoccupied with what you do not have?

·       Or have you learned to thank God for what you do have?

·       You must be careful not to get off the mark chasing after what everyone else is chasing after/ consider God’s will in all that you do.

Thank God for the People in Your Life

1 Corinthians 1:4 “I always thank God for you”

·       Do see positivity in them or you just see what they have not done.

·       You cannot be a blessing in their life without positivity.

Thank God Especially for His Salvation in Jesus Christ

 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 

Nasema asante kwa mungu Wangu, nasema asante kwa wema wako.

Maana umetenda, mambo ya ajabu, milele na milele amina.

Thank God for His Continued Presence and Power in Your Life

Philippians 2:13 “it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

Ephesians 5:20 “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Great men and women have walked the streets on earth.

·       Gideon - Judges 6:12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

·       Moses- Acts 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds.

·       Abraham: Genesis 24:35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

·       Daniel: Daniel 2:48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.

·       Joseph Genesis 41:39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

·       Jacob:

·       JESUS: Luke 9:42-46 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

When John Wesley approached old age, he said, "What I would be afraid of if I took any thought for tomorrow, is that my body might weigh down my mind, and create either stubbornness through the decrease of my understanding, or peevishness by the increase of bodily infirmities; but, `Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord, my God.'"^(F9)

YOU MUST HAVE AN UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE TO RISE AND RISE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling, asked a favor of him.21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

1 Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, "If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain." And God granted the request of Jabez.