Faithfulness and Kingdom Stewardship - Bishop Joel Duncan-Williams 26th May 2024

Amen, So you can please take your seats now. Amen. So my

assignment here, Oh can you put your hands together for a bishop to Hey,

that's how you are my your bishop in this house? Oh, people

love gone. I'm for ship that gift of God. Amen. You can't

please, you can't take your seats now. So my assignment here is very

simple. I'm here to invite anybody who wants to share a testimony with us,

who wants to tank God for his goodness towards them. Anybody here with

a testimony, Oh, put your hairs together up a shop and as she

comes, oh encourage her. Oh, my people, second seventh, next

game, Church. I appreciate that people coming to testify. Amen, Heliah.

Amen. My name is Inshira. I'm here to thank God for the

gift of life. Somewhere last week or last two weeks. Okay, so

last two weeks I passed out in the office. I don't know what happened.

Came out of the blue, and I thank God that I didn't die.

Whatever was going to happen didn't happen. So we give louri to God.

Amen. Good morning. My name is secondly now, and I want

to thank God for academic excellence and financial break. Hi, good morning.

My name is Ruth. And yesterday we were in the house in the room

watching TV and we hear some on the zinc like we thought it was raining,

so we never mind. So I went out to throw what I read

and I saw there it's a fire bending outside. But we don't know what

exactly is benning. So I came back inside and I called my mom and

she was like, I shouldn't mind. I was like, no, the

fire like, it's just more. I know nothing will happen, but it's

just more. By the time she come back from where she's going, like

where she's from, by the time she came back, all the electric cables

are bent. And I thank God for that, Like nothing happened to us.

I thank God. Amen, please close your eyes. I want us

to pray with our sisters that shared their testimony here this morning. We are

praying and thanking God for healing, deliverance, and provision. Let's thank God

for what he started in their lives, that you will perfect it and bring

it to an amazing and marvelous and just bless the name of the Lord for

them. Now we are securing their testimonies and the blood, we are praying

and coming against any vitilations from the comp of the enemy. Father, once

again, this morning, your children come before you in thanksgiving for all you've

done for them, for the healing, for the provision, for the deliverance.

They say, thank you for how far you've brought them, and thank

you for how far you take them. We soak their testimonies in the blood

of Jesus. We act that nothing from the enemies will come near them anymore,

that as they've shared their testimonies, the enemy won't take advantage of it

and attack them. Again. We act that Lord, you continue to perfect

that which you started. And your children this morning and Jesus Name, will

pray thanksgiving. Amen. Wow, hallelujah. You are next to testify.

Oh I said you are next to testify. The Lord also give you deliverance,

Amen, and you give you an escape from every traps of the enemy.

Hallelujah. Amen. Did you really tapped into their testimony? If you

prayed for them, then you are next to testify. Amen. Whatever you

are believing God for you'll be here to also testify of His goodness in Jesus

name. Amen, are you ready for the word of the Lord. I

don't know about you, but I am ready. Amen. Yeah. The

Bible said the entrance of the word words, the entrance of the world,

give it words, lights, hallelujah. A man. All right, let's

go to someone one night ves one o five, so that will read it

together. That one is a different version someone one night. If I am

right, there's one of five. It says that your word is a lamb

to my feet and a light towards Yes. So the word of the Lord

is going to give us light, lam to our feet and light to our

path, amen, so that it will help us in our day today,

activities in our lives. Amen. So that is what we are going to

hear this morning. That's what we are going to hear this morning. So

if you are ready as I am, which Jesus Joy the seventh of God,

the Lord has prepared to bring us this awareness morning. It's none other

but pressure sure that will amen. Oh are you not excited to be here

this morning? Come on and clap your hands and give God a praise.

Look at your neighbor and say, neighbor, I believe God that by the

time we had down here today, your life and your joys. Amen.

Oh, you can shout a better emen. Just before you are seated.

I would like us to give honor to whom honor is to you all the

way, all the way, all the way at the back, those of

you standing at the back. I would like us to give honor to whom

honor is due is eminence the archbishop. Because this look at the neighbor,

and neighbor saying, neighbor, this club is too weak. It's too week.

It's too week. Can you can you add a shout and some movements

come on? And you made me see there in heavenly place is this morning.

I'm not preaching for long this morning. I have nine points to give

you. I'll probably give you about three. I'm preaching on faithfulness and kingdom

stewardship. Faithfulness and kingdom stewardship. Tell your neighby accounts to be faithful,

Derek, tell your neighby accounts to be faithful. And tell your neighbor a

steward. Being a kingdom steward is a good thing. Amen. Tell me

to your Bible's First Corinthians, chapter four and verse two. Third First Corinthians,

chapter four, in verse two, the Bible says, moreover, okay,

Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. Amen.

Now, when you think of faithfulness, what's the first thing that enters

your mind? Can I have somebody with a microphone? Can I get somebody

with a microphone. I'm asking a question, so I want you to respond

so you have the answer. Pasir Francis will come around. What's the first

thing that enters your mind when you think about faithfulness? Anyone? Anyone?

There's some answers here. Honesty, honesty, beautiful, something else, No,

look next to him, Commitment, commitment, excellence, loyalty, loyalty,

beautiful. I love it. Let's go trustworthy. Person who said that?

Oh? Okay, beautiful? Anybody else? There's somebody at the back.

We did all all front honesty, honesty, Okay, somebody said that

already. But it just means that this church loves honesty. Oh I said,

this church loves honesty. Somebody here at the front again. And this

will be the last one because the front people are too much. Keeping your

promise, keeping your promise. Okay. Let me give you a few words

that can be used to emphasize different aspects of faithfulness, depending on the context.

Number one is loyalty. Number two is devotion, number three dependability,

number four, constancy, number five, dedication, number six, allegiance,

number seven, trustworthiness, number eight commitments, And let me give you a

brief definition of each term. Loyalty is a steadfast devotion and allegiance to someone

or something. Please say it with me. Say loyalty is a steadfast devotion

an allegiance to someone or something. Number two. Devotion is profound dedication and

loyalty to a person, activity or course. Please say with me. Devotion

is a profound dedication and loyalty to a person, activity, or course.

Number three dependability Please repeat after me, the quality of being reliable and trustworthy.

Number four. Constancy the quality of being on changing or steadfast over time.

Please repeat it after me, the quality of being on changing or steadfast

over time. Number five Dedication the commitment of time, energy, or resources

to a particular task or purpose. Reverend, Reverend Charles, can I borrow

your Bible? That more? One? Okay, thank you, thank you

so much. Number six allegiance Please repeat after me. Loyalty or commitment to

a superior or to a group or cause. Number seven Please repeat after me.

Trustworthiness the ability to be relied on as honest or truthful, and the

last, but not least, number eight commitments the stage or quality of being

dedicated to a cause, activity, or undertaking. So the next list of

benefits I'm giving you are the benefits of faithful service. Look at neighbor and

tell them the benefits of faithful service. The first benefit of faithful services it

enhances your fellowship. It enhances your fellowship. Look at your neighbor and tell

them it enhances your fellowship. Amen, Oh say it with me. Say

it enhances your fellowship. Now, many of you are in church, but

you don't know each other. You are in the same church, but you

don't know each other. Like I know Annabel, I don't know the person

sitting next to Annabel. So one of the ways that one of the ways

that we get to know each other and our fellowship is enhanced is by being

faithful in the church. Do you understand as you are faithful day in day

out as you come to church as a reverend, Francis was admonished you to

join the next Gen dancing group, as you save in other capacities like the

praise and worship team, the intercessory, as you serve in different aspects in

the church. You will see that your relationships, sorry, your fellowships will

be enhanced, say your fellowships will be enhanced. Now, two departments that

your fellowship will really be enhanced is praise and praise and worship team. I

don't know what they call it is a praise and worship team or there's another

name choir, next gen choir? Okay, so next gen choir and then

the next gen dancing dancing? What choreography choreography ministry? You don't know yourself,

You are confused choreography ministry. There are two are two departments that you

are really your and your fellowship will really be enhanced because as you are dancing

together, as you are singing together, there is no single person that matters.

It takes all of you to matter. If one of you come and

dance on this stage, we won't enjoy it. Like how when all of

you are dancing, if one of you come and sing, we are not

going to enjoy it. Like how when all of you are singing. Do

you do you understand? Do you get it? So those are two very

important groups to join to enhance fellowship. Do you understand I'm talking about fellowship

or I'm not talking about anything but fellowship. I'm talking about fellowship. Only

fellowship. Look and never I say only fellowship. So don't dance there,

don't join the choreography team because there's a certain lady there. You are trying

to You are trying to get close to other. Praise away, shifting because

you are trying to get close to Please. We are talking about fellowship.

Look at neh, I say fellowship, Say fellowship. There are two ladies,

and you know who you are. After I say what I'm about to

say. There are two ladies here from the front to the middle, to

the back, then out from the front to the middle, to the back,

then out from the front to the middle, then the back, then

out, both of you know yourselves. One is smiling. Please take my

heat very carefully. The second one to be smiling. Now, please take

my heat very carefully. From the front, middle, back, then out.

Please correct it. Amen. Amen. If you didn't understand what I'm

saying is good, it's not for you. Number two, It builds a

strong church. Can you imagine if everybody in this church is united and they

are one, It builds a strong church. If everybody in this church is

united, and they are one that is a very strong, formidable team.

Do you know what that does? It keeps all of us together. I

remember, I remember there was a lady in our church at a point,

and I can't remember. I think it was I think it was I think

it was Amen. So there was a particular lady in our church, and

i'm robbers were in her house trying to break into her house, and they

had called the police, they had done everything. Nobody was responding. So

she decided to put it on our cell group page. And so she put

it on the cell group page. And I think I was with Pasa Francis.

I can't remember who I was with, but I was with one of

them, and one of them immediately commented that this is what is happening in

the lady's house right now. Luckily we were able to call somebody and police

got to the lady's house immediately. Can you imagine what would have happened if

she had not posted it? Can you imagine? Can you imagine what would

have happened if she hadn't posted, If that fellowship was there, that fellowship

wasn't there, that bond wasn't there, that trust wasn't there that commitment wasn't

there, the trust, wedding as the loyalty, the constancy, the dedication.

Can you imagine if it wasn't there, what would have happened? Only

God knows and we thank God that it didn't happen. Do you understand?

But if the whole church is united, it brings a very strong, solid

front and one solid family together. How are you brings one solid family together?

Do you understand? And the church we're a family or we are not

single people that belong to the same church's one family. Do you understand it's

a solid family? Say a solid family. No, say it like you

mean, say a solid family. Can you say it like you believe it's

say a solid family, a very solid family. That is not what every

church is. So that is what this church is. I want you to

understand. I want you to understand. I really like the way you're playing

keyboard. I was asking Reverend Francis about you. Do you understand? So

that is what the church is? Our church, that's what it is.

Say our church is a strong family. Oh say it like you mean to

say our church is a strong family. Number three, it opens doors for

marriages, business opportunities, destiny help us, et cetera. Now, for

those of you who this applies to, because the spectrum of the church and

age is wide. When you are faithful in the church, when you have

constancy in the church, it enables you to marry. It's enabled. The

way you're writing is like, you want to get married for it's enable you

to marry. Are you listening? Why does it enable you to marry?

Why does it enable you to marry? Because let's say, and I'll pick

anyone. Okay, Stephanie, please stand, you can stand there, look

at this beautiful lady. Let's say that. Let's say that and the two

the two are brother and sister. That's why I'm using them as an example.

So let's say that. Let's say that this brother has seen this lady

and he wants to get married. Do you understand outside of the church,

Outside of the church, please listen to what I'm saying carefully. Outside of

the church, there is nothing that brings them together. Did you hear what

I said? Outside of the church, nothing brings them together. Their work

is different, their friends are different, what they do is different. He

likes all in their movies, she likes anime, everything is different, nothing

is the same. The only thing that brings them together is the church.

It's the only thing. It's the only thing. And that is why some

churches they are doctrines. I went to do my I went to do my

teeth on Monday or Tuesday, I think it was Monday. And the dentist

who was working on my too, she told me, oh, she's been

an Action member her whole life. But when she went to university at Collebo,

there was no action, so she joined Lighthouse and she was saying to

me that, but she's an action member. I mean, she's been an

action her whole life. And I told her then it's time to come back.

And then she said, unfortunately, it is too late. And I

said why is it too late? And she said, because I'm married to

a lighthouse, to a lighthouse person. Do you understand. And that is

why some churches believe in the doctrinal Ipplicit believe in the doctrine of marriage,

as in, when ladies come to the church, marry them, because once

you marry her, where is she going? Where is she going? She's

married you unless the two of you separate, where is the person going?

The person is not going anywhere. They were joined to you for life.

Bishop Dog was talking once, and I'm saying that because I'm on lighthouse,

I just finished about them stilling a member, which I will steal back.

Worry you do me? I do you? That's all so. So he

was saying that when you marry and you leave the woman, it's as if

you've lied to hair, or you fool hair, because she followed you down

the aisle. Now you are living here unless there's really some circumstance. But

if there's no circumstance, then you are you are living the person. It's

like you've deceived the person. Do you understand? So when you marry,

make sure that you marry well, and make sure that when you are marrying,

you are marrying for what you yourself love, not because somebody told you

what to love. Because if you allow that, then it means that you

will be there with what somebody loves, not what you love, and you

can't stay married to what you don't love. Do you understand now, some

of you that went over your head, you don't even know. You don't

even know where I started and where I'm haended. Don't worry if you don't

understand. You are not for to understand, so don't worry. That's the

kid this morning. If you don't understand, you are not supposed to understand,

so don't worry about it. And man, so I spoke about business

opportunities one day, say one day, one day, an uncle of mine

brought me a great business opportunity, and I had some money sitting down.

I wasn't doing anything with it, twenty thousand dollars. I wasn't doing anything.

So I said, oh, let me put it into this business opportunity.

Are you okay? I said, let me put it into this business

opportunity. So I called Reverend Governor and I told him that this is what

this man is saying. So let's put it into this business opportunity. And

this story, I'm telling you. The scripture is going to come soon,

but I'm just telling you the story now. How many moments? Fifteen?

Okay, I'm almost done. So this uncle of mine brought a crypto business

to do. And when it comes to business, I'm very shrewd and very

I am on my game. Because the person was like an ancle to me,

and I've known the person for a very long time. I decided to

trust the person. I decided to trust the person, so I didn't do

my due diligence. I gave the money to governor instead of governor to stay

with him at the bank and make sure the money was deposited. Governor gave

him the money and left first or first errord first error, first error,

first error. Don't know if the money entered the bank accounts or the money

left with him. First Errand that's the the whole problem started from there.

That's where the problem started. That's where the guys say, ah, no,

this over there. That's where the problem started. The problems are the

day he didn't check to see if the person deposited the money or not and

left them. Then one of us talking to us, God, now you

correct, you didn't check, so I didn't check. Second errand the person

says, suddenly his father is sick, so he's going to the hometown to

check on his father. But he's taking the laptop with him so that you

do the business from there. No, he said, he can't take the

laptop with him because the internet there and things is not stable. And you

know this scripture thing. If you're not paying tention, your money can easily

be lost. So Governor said, okay, come and give me the laptop.

Come and leave the laptop with me so that I'll hold it for you

whilst you are gone. Something happened and he wasn't able to bring the laptop

when he came back. Hey, when he came back, he said that

he had left the app on the application he was signed on. He had

left it on the four days or five days that he was gone. So

so, so the money was trading on his own. So it trained.

He came up small than it went down. Then it came up small than.

Oh it's vanished twenty thousand dollars. If I give one of you twenty

thousand dollars right now, do you know what it can do for you?

Twenty thousand dollars vanish like hey, the way our electricity can vanish like that.

Yesterday, yesterday, yesterday, I was I was lying down and somebody

called me a FaceTime. So I said, let me turn on the lights.

So I went to turn on the lights. Just as I sat down

on my bed again, the light went off. So I said, oh,

there's a problem with my life, which let me go in turn off

on the light again. I turned the light on again. Then I noticed

that ah, a s is off, TV is off, fan is off.

I said, oh no, this one is light off. It's light

off. So hey, listen, there are twenty thousand dollars vanished, and

let me find that scripture for you, because I have I don't have a

lot of time. The twenty thousand dollars disappeared after nice an issue. But

I'll get my money back or that one. I promise you, I'll get

my money back. Okay, problems twenty eight twenty. A faithful man will

abound with blessings, but he who hates things to be rich will not go

unpunished because of the speed I wanted to use to get Listen, the kind

of money we are talking about was not smaller. And don't think that I

just had money sitting there. So I gave him twenty thousand dollars. No,

their higher. The amounts you have in your accounts, the more you

can trade and make money. Do you understand, So the more you have

in your accounts, the more you can make. So if you have what

is that in the cities, is how much two hundred and ninety thousand?

Yes, there's how much he owes me there's how much he owes me and

he will give me. It has gonna haven who is benefiting me, So

don't worry, don't hurry. All. It's as if God wanted me to

to turn into a banker or a loan a loan facility officer. So he

made them come for the loan. Then he told them, now increase the

risks. Oh, the verson will pay back. Don't worry. If you

know anything about me, you know that the versite will be so so so

listen. In life, when you run after things, you never catch them.

That's why the lady you are trying to catch you haven't caught it,

because because you are you are running. You are running. You are running

too fast. Where she asked you? Where she asked you? Good money?

He said, good afternoon. Your your brain is so tight, it's

not working the level, the level at which you are operating is too hard.

Then let you said good money? You say a good afternoon. Hey?

What is this? Have you eaten? I drank water? Eh?

Have you e's? And I drank water? The Bible says he who stays

faithful. What is the scripture? A faithful person? Please put it back

up? A faithful man will abound with blessings. But he who hates things

to be rich will not go unpunished. Do you know why, Because when

you are in a rush to get rich, you are you are. You

don't have morals, there's no moral. You don't care what you do to

get the money. So you will do anything to anybody to get the money.

And guess what I really used to invest. I really used to invest

a lot, and I used to invest a lot in in I said,

clothing in in church businesses. If anybody is doing life, for instance,

what I'm wearing is somebody in the church who shows it. There are other

church tellers. I don't use them. I know tell less better than him.

As a matter of fact, something I have to talk to him that

what is wrong with you? Can't you just show the thing the way I

like it? He can. I'm not mentioning as his name. Anybody wants

you mention. I'm not mentioned anybody's name. Yes, the person knows himself.

If you don't understand, it is because you I'm not supposed to understand,

so I said, can't you? So then I have people who are

fighting for other people. So somebody will go and bring me a dress.

Oh, bushop. This person just sold this thing for you. Can you

try it on? When I try it on, Charlie, that thing that

fits me? Pepper, pepper. Look, I can't even close my neck.

Do you see my neck? I can't close my next We have shifted

the butt to know, but still it can't close because when the person was

doing I don't think they took my measurement well, or maybe I've increased in

weight. I don't know which one, but there was an error. I

can't close the neck. That's it, and I'm preaching it's working a man.

Put your for the low. So and don't come to me after the

service and be asking about my next. Eyes you that I'm not looking at

you. My eyes are somewhere. No, what did you coming? So

it says a faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who his things

to be rich because they are not morals. When there's a lack of morals,

the next thing is the lack of fear of God. When there's a

lack of morals, the next thing is a lack of fear of God.

And when you don't fear God, anything is possible. You can do anything

just to make money. You can. I watch this Nigerian movie where an

uncle took their nephew and sacrificed him for money, and people do it all

the time. They tell them, bring your mother, bring your sister.

You all those things we watch in Nigerian movies. You think it's fake.

It's not fake. It's not fake at all. All those things were watch

in Hollywood movies and those things where you see this buts but you see this

specific type of angel or specific type of demon, how do you think it

was created? Somebody has seen it before. It didn't just come up.

The artist who was creating their image didn't just come up with it. They

were influenced by something. All these things we see, they've happened before,

and they are still happening. Do you understand they've happened before and they are

still happening. So when you lack morals and you lack the fear of God,

anything is possible. Do you understand. Let me give you one last

scripture, because I'm preaching on the benefits of it, so that you you

understand a man, Am I preaching good? Or you don't like the preaching?

Only a few people said this, So I don't trust I'm pushing it

by Amazon. In fact, I could have even ended with a scripture I

gave you. Okay, look sixteen ten, look sixteen ten. Here who

is faithful in what is least? It's faithful in what also is much in

match? And here who is on just in what is least is also in

just in match? Please listen to this, your faithfulness on a Sunday,

when is our weekday service? When is our weekday service? Tuesday? On

a Tuesday, our online meetings, our our our prayer meetings, our in

house meetings, in terms of departments and everything, when you are faith forward,

just a little listen this this gentleman like this, this gentleman like this,

come, come come work with me come November. He's going to be

a pastor. And and he started just as one of you. He's he

we did We didn't do anything special for him. We didn't give him a

special injection or nothing. We've not done anything for him. He started just

as one of you. He's not been to any Bible school that I know

of. He's not been trained how to be a pastor anywhere than here that

I know of. And he's going to be a pastor because he was faithful

in just a little, just a little, and now God has picked him

and enabled him to be called for much more. When you are faithful,

you can see that and let me move from your seat. When he's also

the tailor, I was talking about where don't worry after November, he's still

ring. Will change where No, he's changed. You saw some two things

from me I wore and I kept asking, Derek, are you sure this

Jonathan? He said is Jonathan? I said, hey, are you sure?

He said, yes, it is Jonathan. So your your things are

changing when you are back. But you see, you see, you see

watch this. This is my last point that I end. This is very

good. I mentioned he was the tailor. Watch this. Who is losing

here? When it comes to God's time table, who is losing? Is

he losing or I'm losing. I'm actually winning. I'm actually winning. I'm

being very faithful no matter what comes to me, I'm faithful. I keep

wearing it, I keep sticking with it. I'm faithful to it. That

is how it works in God's timetable. God's timetable is not all. It's

not working, so I need to change it or I need to go to

another church, or I need to join another ministry, or I need to

listen to another pasta, or I need to do another thing. That's not

God's time table. God's timetable is stay faithful. Look at and says stay

faithful. Say it like you mean, says stay faithful, Say it one

more time, says stay faithful. That is God's time table for us.

That is what he wants. Faithfulness. If you're clubbing, club well,

faithfulness, faithfulness. When you are faithful in just a little, he will

bless you to be faithful with much. If you cannot be faithful with just

a little, he's not going to bless you with anything at all. It's

not my words, it's the scripture. So excuse me. So learn how

to be faithful. Look at neighbor and say, learn how to be faithful,

and learn how to be faithful with small. So if you are in

the choreography ministry, learn how to turn up on time. When we set

the time that we are meeting at six pm to rehears, be there by

five point thirty. Yes, be there by five Why what are you doing?

What are you doing? Be there by five point thirty. Even me,

at my level, when i'm going to meetings, I usually get the

thirty minutes thirty minutes earlier, and I always tell people if I set a

meeting time, I always tell them at so so and so time, you

are late, and it's always thirty minutes before the time. Not that a

meeting will start before the thirty minutes, but be there thirteen minutes before time.

You never know what will happen, so be there at least thirty minutes

before the time. So please be faithful, or say it like youw minutes,

say it like you minutes. Say please be faithful. Faithfulness is the

key when it comes to the Kingdom of God. Faithfulness and kingdom stewardship.

Please rise up on your feet, lift up your hands. Just talk to

the Father. Lift up your hands, just speak to him. Just begin

to wish you, just begin to wish. Just begin to wish. Let's

begin to estion. Just begin to wish you, let's begin to wish.

Just begin to wish. Just begin to wish. You speak to him,

speak to him, speak to him, speak to him, speak to him,

speak to him. Do lift up your voice and wishing. Lift up

your voice in Wisha, lift up your voice in Russia. The rides side

to the say of the say your name is to behind, from the rising

of the side to the say of the save your name is to be had.

From the rise riseing the sa say skies the son sa side yours to

be you just say, don't go rise called the Jalasa say the same.

Sweep your day las be landing on the sea, be sup or game en

second. Oh, come on and sing it, come on and sing it,

Sing it for the last time. Father, We thank you this morning.

We give you all the praise the anoration. We thank you. We

worship you. Father. Today. We know what it means to be faithful,

We know what it means to be kingdom stuarts. We pray that you

will bless us. We pray that you will protect us. We pray that

you will enable us to do more for the church, to do more.

From the house in Jesus' name, we pray. And the church shouted and

said, please, we see that in heavenly places