EPISODE 145 – THE BLESSINGS OF GIVING 3 – ESTEEMED BY GOD
Apostle Bennie
Friday 16th June, 2023
THE BLESSINGS OF GIVING 3 – ESTEEMED BY GOD
“Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)
There is something special about giving into God’s agenda. A cheerful prompt to do it giver has a genuine heart for God.
Having huge amount of money in your bank account or as in income doesn’t make you a giver automatically.
Until you passionately love the Lord, you will not give into His agenda.
There is always something to do with money at a personal level. The more income you make, it’s likely your bills will also go up.
The demands and needs keep increasing whether you make more money or not.
This is why giving into the spread of the gospel means a lot to God.
This brings me to another benefit of giving into the gospel.
Take a look at the opening verse again:
“Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].“ 2 Corinthians 9:7 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition).
A cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving], is LOVED BY GOD.
We see a detailed explanation about this dimension of love.
God, esteems a cheerful (joyous prompt to do it) giver (whose heart is in his giving).
Such a person is always on God’s mind for the next assignment. For God to love or esteem you in this light means, He is always creating opportunities for you to give.
Have you ever been in a place where you feel you are the only one giving big?
Or you feel you are always the one called upon by your Pastor or leader to give?
That is a blessing!
Though the saints in the Church must be inspired to give, make up your mind and purpose in your heart to be a giver. You don’t give because others are giving or not giving. You give because your heart is in your giving.
This is not to propound the concept that “give till you are hurt“. That is why you must give as you have made up your mind and purposed in your own heart.
The scripture says, God is unwilling to do without or abandon a cheerful prompt to do it giver.
“ I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You.” 1 Chronicles 29:17 (NKJV)
The Lord doesn’t just receive our giving, He proves the heart of your giving, whether it is of faith or not.
This giving is not just money, but in any form of valuable donation.
Cheerful (joyous prompt to do it) giver, is one who gives in faith.
And the Lord takes pleasure in such giver.
The word PLEASURE, is from the Hebrew word, “râtsâh”. It means to be pleased with; specifically be acceptable, be affectionate, delight in, be the favourable, liked the most.
Awesome!
God loves the world, and has an intimate relationship with those who are in Him. However, He takes special delight in those who give towards His work.
You know the lady who anointed Jesus at Bethany, became an eternal delight. Jesus declared her as a memorial in the spread of the gospel. That is God taking special delight not just in your giving but in you. He prizes you above other things!
Look at what she did:
“Then Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. A woman came into the house, holding an alabaster flask filled with fragrant and expensive oil. She walked right up to Jesus, and in a lavish gesture of devotion, she poured out the costly oil, and it cascaded over his head as he was at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” they grumbled. “We could have sold it for a great deal of money and given it to the poor.”
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you critical of this woman? She has done a beautiful act of kindness for me. You will always have someone poor whom you can help, but you will not always have me. When she poured the fragrant oil over me, she was preparing my body for burial. I promise you that as this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to me will also be mentioned in memory of her.”
Now we are talking about this great act of giving this lady did today, just as Jesus declared.
Also you will observe that, the scriptures we clear what she gave:
It was not just any cheap oil or perfume.
The scripture says, what she gave was an EXPENSIVE AND COSTLY OIL.
The disciples thought it was a waste of money, but Jesus called it a LAVISH DEVOTION.
Beloved, have you broken your alabaster box?
THE LORD DELIGHTS IN SUCH GIVERS.
Shalom.
To be a part of the gospel financiers, send us a mail on info@christcommonwealth.org
DIG DEEPER:
(1 Chronicles 29:2-20; Luke 16:9-11; Proverbs 3:9-11; ; 2 Corinthians 9:1-11; Deuteronomy 8:18; Matthew 26:6-13 )
WE PRAY:
We pray that as we increase in grace, we give lavishly into the gospel of our Lord Jesus more and more.
BIBLE READING:
DAY 134: 2 Chronicles 1-3
DECLARE THESE WORDS
– I am an extravagant giver.
– I don’t give grudgingly, I give cheerfully.
– I am a prompt to do it giver and my heart is in my giving.
– I give greatly into the Lord’s work.
– I am a son of consolation.
– Because of me the work of God is done with ease.
– I increase in the grace to give day by day.
– I don’t withhold my money. I give out joyously as the Lord inspires me.
– I have the heart and the mind of a giver.
– This week I give greatly into the Lord’s assignment.
– The Lord has engraced and enabled me to give more.
– I increase and abound in this giving grace massively.
– I always at any given time give.
– I give under all circumstances (no matter the situation)
– I am willing to give whatever the need (the obligation, requirement, task, project, burden, mission, the necessity, irrespective of the size or greatness of the work)
– I am a self-sufficient giver by the grace of God.
– I possess enough and require no aid or support to give.
– I am furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation.
Oh Hallelujah, Gloreeeey!!!
I increase in the grace to give day by day.
Oh Hallelujah am a cheerful giver
Thank You Lord Jesus
I break my alabaster box for Jesus
I am a cheerful giver.
Hallelujah
I am an extravagant giver. One who gives without compulsion.
Ha!
I am an extravagant giver.
I don’t give grudgingly, I give cheerfully.
I am a prompt to do it giver and my heart is in my giving.
I give greatly into the Lord’s work.
I am a son of consolation.
Because of me the work of God is done with ease.
I increase in the grace to give day by day.
don’t withhold my money. I give out joyously as the Lord inspires me.
I have the heart and the mind of a giver.
This week I give greatly into the Lord’s assignment.
The Lord has engraced and enabled me to give more.
Thank you Lord Jesus
Hallelujah
I increase in the Grace to give.
I give with joy and bountifully
Glory to God
I Give my Best to the LORD
I give that which is Costly to Jesus as a lavish Devotion
My heart is in my Giving.. hallelujah
My heart is in my giving. Therefore, joyously do I give as the Lord inspires me.
Glory to God!