Whose Kingdom Is It? Understanding True Success and Stewardship

 

Whose Kingdom Is It?

Psalm 24:1 state, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it..." My takeaway from these sessions is that everything on this earth belongs to God. God chose to make Saul, David, and Absalom kings over the Israelites. God owns it all; none of these kings achieved their positions by themselves or created anything they could boast about, not even becoming king over people.

This means that, in my own life, I should recognize that it is by God's favor that I have what I possess today. I am reminded that all these things belong to God, and He may request them at any time. When I understand this, my relationships with people, my view of position, status, and property will be redefined. God will look at my heart to see that I am aligned with Him, ensuring that my heart, values, and attitude are consistent with His purpose. It all belongs to Him; it is God's kingdom. This means I need to surrender all to God. I am just a steward of His gifts, space, and resources.

Whose Race Is It?

In this session, my takeaway is to be aware and watch out when I start behaving in any of the following manners and fall into the following seven perils: inability to obey God's instructions, rushed decision-making, not taking personal responsibility for my commitments, caring about self-glorification and depreciation, always seeking praises from men, doubting others' loyalty, and failing to show courage. These perils are common to men who are possessive and all they think about is perpetuating their race, using their own strength to remain in power.

When all I am about is being rebellious and undermining authority because I think I am better, that is not from God. When I intentionally become crafty and only connect with people when I am benefiting and gaining power by being conceited and faking loyalty, all that is not from God.

 

Whose Glory Is It?

Our stewardship of God's property should be focused on praising God and recognizing His kingdom. Understanding this concept shapes our attitude, altitude, and latitude in life. As Psalm 24:1 states, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." Similarly, John 3:27 reminds us, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven."

Nothing we have is truly ours; it all comes from heaven. These blessings are meant to honor God by fulfilling His purposes and glorifying Him. Instead of thinking that the race and the kingdom are about us, we should put God at the center and surrender everything to Him. When we do this, our hearts become more faithful and loyal to God and His people. We become driven by self-sacrifice towards the people and resources we are stewarding. This shift in perspective helps us develop caring hearts and become more courageous.

 

Fundraising Class

In this session, I learned how to fundraise effectively and overcome the challenges that impede me from raising funds for the work of God. I learned how to be systematic by following proven steps that will increase my chances of raising funds. The steps begin by defining my vision, which could be advised by what makes me happy or what makes me angry—these emotions are important as my compass. Then, secondly, by creating a compelling story that will resonate with people. Thirdly, I learned that I should have a plan on how I will communicate and the time frames within which I am working. This is followed by identifying my target audience of people close to me who can rally efforts to support me. The use of social media cannot be overemphasized for sharing updates, success stories, and calls to action to maintain engagement. I learned that I should offer incentives to my donors by exchanging value back with them in the form of praying with them and engaging with them on issues that are close to them, such as attending their functions. Lastly, it's only African to say thank you for the support that you receive.

 

My Fundraising Testimony

My fundraising efforts have started in earnest by developing and sharing my vision paper with close friends. I received a positive reception, with encouragement and promises of support. In the coming months, I must build on the learnings gained from the fundraising class taught by Pastor Milton Jumba.

Already, I have received support from a few friends who have pledged and contributed to my vision, dubbed "10 Dreams, 10 Future." My role is to pray and commit this plan to God, engaging with supporters and explaining why this work is important to them and to the body of Christ. All glory goes to God, as He is the owner of all resources. I am merely a steward, trusting that He will provide.