Christian giving 8

“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.” Luke 21:1-2

Christian giving is motivated as an act of worship unto God. Although God is self-sufficient (Acts 17:25), He is moved by our gifts and sacrifices (Gen 22:16-17, Gen 8:21). God’s intervention in the realm of men is through men. When He finds a willing man who gives as an act of worship and submission, He extends His grace and glory to such (2 Cor. 9:8). Jesus saw both the rich and the poor put their gifts into the temple treasury. Worship is not complete without giving.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

“Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

“Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” Zechariah 1:17

The vision of the church cannot be carried out without money. We are not expected to come empty handed when we come to worship God so that the cost of preaching the Gospel and meeting the needs of the needy can be covered. Even the wise men came with gifts and when they came to worship Jesus (Matthew 2:11).

May your worship be pleasing unto God. May your offering be pleasing unto God in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God give me the grace to worship you with my substances in Jesus name.

Christian giving 7

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;” 2 Corinthians 8:1-3

Christian giving is motivated by sacrifice unto God. By sacrifice, I mean giving to God when it is not convenient because of Him. God does not require a sacrifice of goat and sheep from us anymore but a sacrifice of our commitment and dedication unto Him. Of course, we all go extra mile to meet a need if we are committed (Luke 21:1-4).

“Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” Psalms 50:5

“And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2 Samuel 24:24

The church in Macedonia supported Paul’s ministry not because it was convenient but because of their commitment. They were willing to do beyond their power. David refused to take the oxen and the land from Araunah free of charge because he felt that his offerings unto the Lord must cost him something. The truth is that when we give sacrificially, we provoke His intervention in our lives (Genesis 22:16-17, Luke 6:38). You can never lose when you give to God.

May you your offering calls God’s attention in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God give me grace to be committed to you in all things in Jesus name.

Christian giving 6

“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”  2 Corinthians 10:6

Christian giving is motivated by obedience to God. The best of God is accessed through obedience. Anyone trying to use sweet words to motivate you to disobey God is working for the enemy and wants to prevent you from receiving the best of God. As Christians we must give based on obedience to both the written and the spoken word of God. Anytime you hear God and obey Him, you position yourself for the supernatural.

“And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Luke 5:5

“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” 1 Kings 17:9

“His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” John 2:5

Beloved, giving is commanded by God as an act of faith in Him. Giving is biblical way of accessing the blessings of God (Deut 28:1-13, Luke 6:38, Phil 4:18-19). The widow of Zarephath was having her last meal but yet God commanded her to sustain the man of God. She obeyed and consequently received the supernatural provision of God. Her last meal did not finish until there was abundance in the land.

May you hear God when He speaks to you. May you walk in obedience to Him in all things in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God give me grace to obey you in all things in Jesus name.

Christian giving 5

“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”  Romans 8:24

Christian giving is motivated by hope for an harvest and a reward. God is a rewarder (Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 11:6c, Rev 22:12). You can have hope without faith but you cannot have faith without hope.  Hope provides the path for your faith to work. When you abound in hope, you will give joyfully and cheerfully. When you give cheerfully, you will experience supernatural harvest and reward.

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

It is exciting to give to God in hope and faithfully. Hope in God cannot fail. Numbers 23:10 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” 1 Cor 1:20 says, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

As you give to God I decree that your hope of harvest and reward shall become a reality in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh my soul, put your hope in God in all things in Jesus name.

Christian giving 4

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Hebrews 11:6

Christian giving is motivated by faith in God just as all our actions must be motivated by faith. We do not walk by sight we walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7) because whatever is not of faith is sin (Rom 14:23). We must give to God because we believe that He is our source. We must trust Him with our finances knowing fully well that what we give does not leave our lives but will come back to us as an harvest.

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Eccl 11:1

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Hebrews 11:17-19

When Abraham was offering Isaac as a sacrificial seed he did not think he was losing him. He was doing it by faith. He believed that God will raise him from the dead and give him Isaac back. Whenever we give to God as Christians we are not losing what we give. 2 Cor 9:10 says, “ Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” Giving to God is an act of sowing that precedes a great harvest.

May you see God as a source that never dries. May you walk by faith and not by sight in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God help me to always give to you by faith in Jesus name.

Christian giving 3

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

Christian giving is motivated by six factors that include love, faith, hope, obedience, sacrifice and worship. Let me talk about love motivated giving today. Christian giving is motivated first by love for God and secondly love for your neighbor. When you give as a Christian, you are fulfilling the law and the prophet. You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Mathew 22:37-40

“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?.” James 2:5-16

When you give to God’s work, you are expressing your love towards God. When you give to your neighbor, you are expressing your love towards him or her. The bible says love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8).

May your life be full of love in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God help me to walk in love in your house and towards my neighbors in Jesus name.

Christian giving 2

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6:21

If your treasure is there, your heart is there. If your money is there, you are there. You cannot claim to be involved in anything in this world without your money being involved.  It is possible to give as a Christian in kind and not in monetary term alone. One of the breakthroughs in the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea happened when an old woman brought her food plate and chopping sticks as an offering to God. Rich believers bought the little material for millions of dollars.

“Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.” Acts 9:36

“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:  For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.” Luke 21:1-4

Christian giving is not measured in value alone but also in the level of sacrifice involved. Christian giving is driven by a vision for the things of God. Let God and the people feel you in the church where you worship. May you be a cheerful giver, may you be relevant in the church of God in Jesus name.

Prayer for today: Oh God give me a vision for your house in Jesus name.