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Originally Posted by JG
Before I pray for favour What will you do for the Lord to help build His Kingdom if He grants your request?
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Originally Posted by STEERAGE
I believe that we build the kingdom of God through our every day actions. We support our church and community, we help others, as christ would, to lead a better life. Every day I try to live up to God's expectations for me. I pray with him constantly and help others to see his great work.
Thank you for your prayers. |
Its more blessed to give than to receive; There are very few men who have left a mark in my life, like this man who is a medical doctor in England. I met him several years ago in his hometown where I went to preach and he gave me hospitality. I observed that this man had something peculiar about him. He was always in high spirit, happy, prosperous, and was in good health. I wondered what the secret of his life was and you know what! This man was a giver.
The wife had a problem to keep track of what he had given. For example, on his way back home from work, he found a sale bought a suit for himself and another one for his pastor. This man was a big giver in his church; he gave people everywhere he went, the more he gave the more he received.
Through out the Bible, God is always giving, because He is a model of giving. God gave Adam and Eve the garden of Eden. We must live to give, giving is living. You will never have true joy or touch people’s lives until you learn to be a giver. There is power in giving.
God will turn you into a distributor for Him, distributing for people and you will even change the way you pray
UNDERSTANDING GIVING
The teaching of Jesus was handed over by the Lord Jesus, in verse 35 of Acts 20 the Bible says “… and to remember the words of the lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
Jesus taught to give Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given unto you, …”.
Jesus’ teaching was on giving but nowadays we emphasize on receiving and not on giving. When we look at the life Jesus, it was that of giving, Acts 10:38. Jesus gave love, salvation, peace, life to the dying, sight to the blind as well as forgiveness. Most of all Jesus gave His life on the cross for us. What was the result of Jesus’ life of giving? He touched the lives of so many people. Do you want to touch, impact, and influence people? Try giving.
Dorcas in the Bible is another character who gave to the women, as a result she touched their lives and they refused to let her die.
Giving is a language of love, John 3:16. People who are in love exchange gifts as an expression of love. The way you give and support God’s work, encourage and bless other people will take you to higher heights. Are you a giver?
THE BLESSING OF RECEIVING
It is more blessed to give than to receive; is what the Acts of the Apostle tells us but there is also a blessing in receiving. The problem is that we are conditioned to receive. We receive from our parents; love, care, protection and food as a result, as we grow older we become recipient and that conditions us. Some time back in our country we used to receive free education, free coupons in order to receive mealie-meal because it is a blessing to receive. That is why when someone does not give us we get angry, that is wrong.
THERE IS A GREATER BLESSING IN GIVING
There is more profit in giving; … “it’s more blessed to give than to receive” The apostle Paul wanted to give to the weak. Giving puts others first, it is not about you but about others. Giving is walking in love, John 3:16.
THE BENEFITS OF GIVING:
a. There is joy in giving.
When we gave our personal minibus to an orphanage called the Messiah Ministries, the face of those children and their caretaker lit up and the prayer, which was done by one of the children, was so touching. So you see how giving changes the situation of someone! But it is the giver who gets more than the receiver because he or she sees hope in that situation. You will never touch or influence people until you give to their needs. Giving will distinguish and change you.
b. Give a Seed in someone’s life or in the work of God
You are sowing a seed in fertile ground each time you give. The Bible says, “he who pays the poor lends to God and He’ll repay".
PSA 41:1 {To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.} Blessed [is] he that considereth (gives to, prospers, blesses,teaches wisdom, blesses) the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 41:2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; [and] he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
They should take care of elderly people…"He that pities the poor lends to the Lord." Also, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me." Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E),
Many of us like giving our friends because we know they will give us back. But we are told to give even those we do not know.
c. Releases God’s provision in your life
No one can out give God. God is not a debtor of any man. Dare to invest in the things of God and you will be rewarded; God will be building in your house. God rewarded Peter when he was told to cast his net in the lake and he caught so many fish that the net broke.
A certain man in Nigeria gave his a Motorbike, which was his only means of income to the work of God. Of course, he received criticism even from his own wife. But later on God blessed him with a Mercedes Benz. You must give in ways you have never given before if you want a blessing from the Lord. When you give in ordinary ways, God will bless you in Ordinary ways but when you give in extra ordinary ways, God will also bless you in extra ordinary ways. When your need is great, your giving should be greater.
d. Givers are Distributors
When you are a giver, God will turn you into a distributor. Proverbs 11:24, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty” kjv You must know that it is your attitude that makes you poor but there is hope because you can be refreshed. When you are a distributor, you become a wholesaler. The day you shall confess your stinginess will be the day you shall become a distributor. Don’t withhold because you will remain a retailer.
e. Giving expresses the love of God
It’s more blessed to give because it expresses the love of God. Your mother will not know that you love her until you give her. Each time you give, you show an expression that you love the ones you give. It’s not the size of the gift that matters but it’s the thought. You can give time, hospitality, love and food. The power to increase is in giving. Let us learn to share whatever we have and God shall bless us. For example, if you live in a small house and you share hospitality, God will bless you with a big house because you may have entertained angels. Some of us have driven away people who visited us and had answers to our problems and carried our blessing. Remember, “There is power in giving”.
CONCLUSION
Giving is: walking in love, a language or an expression of love, it is a sign of maturity and it is moving from living for yourself to living for others. The more you mature in the things of God, the more you will be able to give because it more blessed to give that to receive. There is power in giving- the power of increase is in giving. When you are a giver, God will make you into a distributor and you will move in blessings. When you are a giver, you will stop praying for food, clothes because people will be giving you. But we should not have a spirit of dependency because it is a sign of immaturity, don’t be like a child who has a give me, and give me language. Work hard and be a giver. Remember God loves a cheerful giver. After you have given your tithe and offering, look around and see where you can give and bless people. Become givers and distributors; break forth from your stingy syndrome.
Posted by: JG
The secret to keeping the blessing is give to the Lord.
Remember what it said in
DEU 8:18
But thou shalt remember
Remember here does not just mean to REMEMBER. It means to mark, mark as the first male. This means to give ownership to God.
Strongs 2142, zaw-kar'; a prim. root; to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; to be male: be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record, remember, make to be remembered, bring to remembrance, think on.
EXO 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males [shall be] the LORD'S.
DEU 15:19 ¶ All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
the LORD thy God:
If you learn to give owner ship to God he will give .....
for [it is] he
that giveth thee power
to get wealth,
God wants to give you this power when you put Him in the drivers seat.
that he may establish
his covenant which
he sware unto thy fathers,
as [it is] this day.
He wants to give you power to get wealth to prove his promises he made to Abraham
Posted by: JG
God Gave first because He is a giver.
For God so loved He gave.
He wanted more children so He first gave His son
Jesus gave His life on the cross for your sins first.
Jesus said Give and it shall be given
When we hold on to or hold back God can not bless it.
When we let it go God takes the seed and blesses beyond our understanding.
Are you letting circumstances get in your way. If you look with the eyes of man you will never understand the economy of God.
ECC 11:4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 11:5 As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both [shall be] alike good.
What is the outline of the lesson we learn from David below
1: He prepared to give with all his might to build the Kingdom of God
2: He set his affection and desire on building the Kingdom of God
3: He gave of his own wealth not just others.
4: He gave more then he needed to
5: He inspired others to give of their wealth and talent. (works of their hands)
6: He taught them to give willingly and generously and dedicatedly
7: He taught them the joy of giving
8: He taught them everything belongs to God
9: He taught them riches and honor come from God
10: He taught them God reigns over all;
11: He taught them it is in God's hand to make great, and to give strength unto all
12: He taught them we only are giving back to God what he gave to us.
1CH 29:2
Now I have prepared with all my might = (might, power, strength, wealth)..
for the house of my God = (to build the kingdom of God)
The gold for [things to be made] of gold, and
the silver for [things] of silver, and ......29:3
Moreover, because
I have set my affection to the house of my God, (build God's kingdom here on earth)
I have of mine own proper good,
of gold and silver, [which] I have given to the house of my God,
over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, (I did more than was expected)
29:4 [Even] three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses [withal]:
$4,500,000,000 gold at $500.00/oz
$105,000,000 silver at $5.00/oz
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$4,605,000,000 David gave a personal 4 billion 600 million dollars offering
Talent of Gold = 6,000 Shekels
Talent of Silver = 3,000 Shekels
Shekel = ˝ Oz.
1CH 29:5 The gold for [things] of gold, and the silver for [things] of silver, and
for all manner of work [to be made] by the hands of artificers.
And who [then] is willing to consecrate his service 29:6
Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, 29:7
And gave for the service of the house of God
29:9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly , because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
29:10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said,
Blessed [be] thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 29:11
Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 29:12
Both riches and honour [come] of thee,
and thou reignest over all;
and in thine hand [is] power and might;
and in thine hand [it is] to make great,
and to give strength unto all. 29:13
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 29:14
But who [am] I, and what [is] my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort?
for all things [come] of thee,
and of thine own have we given thee. 29:15
For we [are] strangers before thee, and sojourners, as [were] all our fathers: our days on the earth [are] as a shadow, and [there is] none abiding. 29:16
O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name [cometh] of thine hand, and [is] all thine own.29:17
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
Learn with me my friend to break the curse of poverty off of you.