Thursday, 19 January 2023
“Then Cornelius said, ‘Three days ago, I was in my house at this time of the day. It was three o’clock in the afternoon and I was praying to GOD. Suddenly, a man appeared and he stood in front of me. He was wearing bright clothes that shone. The man said to me, “Cornelius, you have prayed to GOD and you have often given money to poor people. Now GOD wants to answer you.” – Acts 10:30-31 EASY
When I was growing up, the church was that one place that was truly revered within society. It brought order in the community and those in the leadership were held in very high esteem. It was where the lost went for safety, the broken for healing, and those in need knew that the first place they can turn to for help is the church.
One of the reasons why the church could even be a place of refuge and support was because people gave resources that made and kept it so. As a child, I still remember my grandmother giving us coins so that we can have something to put in the offering basket. The temptation to spend that money on something else was always there but the embarrassment of not having an offering or the cousins accusing you of eating GOD’s money was enough to keep us all in line. Now that one has grown, we know that our offering should come from a place of love and a reverence for what touches GOD and not from guilt. The fact that some false teachers and prophets have turned the church in to a con shop does not change the spiritual laws that govern giving and receiving. Our parents knew what a blessing the church is and by teaching us to give at such an early age, they were knowingly or unknowingly contributing to our divine coffers.
Regarding Acts 10:30-31 what kind of giving exactly was Cornelius doing that attracted GOD’s attention to an extent that He came down to answer his prayer? Mind you, from the Scriptures, Cornelius was not even a follower of Christ but he gave in such a way that the LORD not only noticed him, but sent down an angel from heaven and a disciple to minister to him as a prayer answered. There is so much that we are concerned with and praying about on a daily basis, and some prayers are even older than we can remember because the struggles are now spilling over in to other areas of our lives. Yet in all this, the Word of GOD tells us that there is a formula to success that never fails. “You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, for when we take your gifts to those in need, it causes many to give thanks to GOD.” 2 Corinthians 9:11 TPT.
Jesus loves the church to an extent that He came and died for it. That, then, should tell us how much loving and taking care of GOD’s church touches His heart. Our expression of love must be in more than just words. It needs to flow through our honor and worshiping of GOD in our giving. Our giving should not only express our love for Jesus, but for everything He Himself cares about. Yes, much has changed since the churches of old, and sadly what we have made of the church is not the will of GOD. But even so, what GOD says about His church will forever remain what it is and what He expects of us believers still remains. As His church, we are called to take care of His church.
Our giving should not only express our love for Jesus, but for everything He Himself cares about
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