BECOMING A WOMAN OF POSITIVE INFLUENCE

TEXT: ACTS 9:36-39

BECOMING A WOMAN OF POSITIVE INFLUENCE

The study will be done with the following sub headings

v  Introduction

v  Meanings

v  Foreword

v  Agents of influence

v  Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works, but Tabitha was a great doer, not a great talker, unlike many of us who are like the priest in Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan Luke 10:30-34. Those that are certainly best praised are those whose own works praise them, whether the words of others do so or not.

Such characters as Dorcas, Dorcas whose name in (Greek: Δορκάς, Dorkás; Aramaic: טביתא‎ Ṭabītā),and means Gazelle, Deer or Buck was a disciple who lived in Joppa, was a great giver as recorded, who affected her sphere of influence. How mean then the cares of the numerous females who seek no distinction but outward decoration, and who waste their lives in the trifling pursuits of dress and vanity!

    MEANINGS

Woman:  according to advance Learner’s dictionary international student’s edition eight edition is an Adult female.

Influence: according to advance Learner’s dictionary international student’s edition eight edition has some definitions but let’s take two from it: (a) the effect that somebody/something has on the way a person thinks or behaves or the way that something works or develops (b) The power that somebody or something has to make someone or something behave in a particular way.

We can them define woman of positive influence as a woman who in spite of her gender and the attending responsibilities (a good wife, a great mother among others) has developed herself and is helping in developing others.

FOREWARD

v  God gives every human a seed that has a potential of a tree. Matt 25:14-30,Jer 1:5,Judges 13:5

v  It is the duty of everyone to prayerfully and carefully discover it, systematically develop it and spiritually but strategically deploy it.2 Timothy 1:14-16, 1 Tim 4:14-16, Proverbs 13:4.

AGENTS OF INFLUENCE

Our life/attitude                                           Matt 5:16

Dressing and adornment                             1 Pt. 3:4-6

Giving                                                          Acts 9:36-37

The way we talk                                          Col 4:6, 2 Tim.2:16

The grace of God                                         1 Sam 10:11

God given positions                                     Esther 4:16            

 CONCLUSION

God assisted some women like Dorcas, along with Lydia of Thyatira and Phoebe, to live a life of positive influence that till today they are still honoured with a feast day on the liturgical calendar  of some churches although on different dates : January 27 & October 25, that is asides the fact that she(Dorcas) got an elongated life due to her influence, BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE.  

…………..for we know in parts

Shalom.

AN ARMY IN THE DRY BONES

TEXT: EZEKIEL 37:1-10

AN ARMY IN THE DRY BONES

This topic will be studied with the following sub headings:

      Introduction

      Background to the study

      What dry bones depicts

      How an army can emerge from dry bones

      Prayer

Introduction

There is a need to underscore that contributing one’s best in the pursuit or en-route destiny fulfillment is sacrosanct, any message/messenger that states that at /after salvation God fully takes over one’s body, soul and spirit making the person totally idle and irresponsible is scam and should be discarded immediately and ultimately. Even in a vision prophet Ezekiel spoke albeit as aided, guided and commanded. May God help us all in Jesus mighty name. 

Background to the study

The referenced portion of the scripture is a vision with which God sent a clear message of hope and restoration to the people of Israel. At the time of the vision, the Israelite were in exile, scattered among nations and deeply discouraged. He assured them that irrespective of their location, situation or opinion they would be re-established in their own land.  

What does dry bone depict 

Total hopelessness: vs. 11 a critical/physical analysis of some situations from the very dry bones in our text till some life experiences today depicts a no hope case. A similar case is recorded in Luke 8:41-49, Jairus and his people came to Jesus to come and heal his sick daughter but verse 49 states they lost hope due to her death, to them Jesus can only heal the sick not raise the dead.

Impossibility: vs. 2-3, the prophet was very sincere in his response to the divine question can this bone become living being again? You alone knows the answer. God was not referring to dead human, not even skeleton but disjointed very dry bones scattered abroad in a valley. A clearly dead end case, but our God specializes in impossibilities. Jer.32:27, Luke 1:37.

How can army emerge from the valley of dry bone

·         Spirit of God: empowering and directing, it can only be by His spirit vs. 4-6

·         Obedience: vs.7, to God and Godly advice/directive Is. 1:19.

·         Prayer: vs. 7 what the prophet spoke in this verse can typify a heartfelt prayer James 5:16, 1Chro.4:9-10, prayer can change any situation in line with God’s plan, purpose and will.

·         Faith: vs.4-6 was God’s way of building faith in him, God had to reiterate what he can and more accurately what he has planned to do. When God speaks no matter how it sounds or looks: incompatible, impossible or illogical to human mind those who know Him don’t doubt Him. Luke 5:5, Ez. 37:10.

Prayer

Pray like this, father I receive grace to manifest all your blueprint and intention over my life, family, career and ministry, the army in my dry bone is released unto glory now by fire in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

…. For we know in part…….