MEMORISE:
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
READ: Matthew 6:1-4
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
MESSAGE:
In assessing our offering, God looks at the motives of the giver. If anyone gives to God for the wrong reasons, He will not accept, let alone reward such giving.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1
No matter how large, offering ill-gotten wealth can incur God’s wrath. God frowns at people who try to clear their guilt by tithing from the stolen funds. He hates sin and anything given by a sinner. Proverbs 15:8 says:
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
God taught me a lesson on my way back from Ilorin Nigeria where I had gone to preach some time ago. I had refilled my car unknowingly with adulterated fuel and it wouldn’t start. While a mechanic was trying to fix it, the Lord taught me a lesson from the experience. He told me “I can’t accept offering from many people because their gifts are a mix of clean and unclean sources.” If you add money made from shady means to those from clean source and then give to God, the dirty money in the mix will contaminate the entire offering and make it unacceptable.
God is displease with any offering given grudgingly. He will reject such. However, He loves cheerful givers. (2 Corinthians 9:7). Sometime ago, I was at a service in another denomination. While the programme lasted, I grew tired of the numerous offerings we were asked to give so much that when they called for another donation, I angrily dipped my hand in my pocket to give. Then God said “keep your money, I am not a beggar.” I immediately realized my mistake, asked for forgiveness and cheered myself up internally before giving the offering.
Please God with your offering; give cheerfully.
KEY POINT:
Don’t give God anything grudgingly; He will reject it.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 10-11
John 10:22-42
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 3: BE GLAD IN THE LORD AND REJOICE
1. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
All ye that are upright in heart;
And ye that have made Him your choice,
Bid sadness and sorrow depart.
o Refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice,
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice;
Rejoice, rejoice,
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.
2. Be joyful, for He is the Lord
On earth and in Heaven supreme;
He fashions and rules by His word—
The “Mighty” and “Strong” to redeem.
3. What though in the conflict for right
Your enemies almost prevail?
God’s armies, just hid from your sight,
Are more than the foes which assail.
4. Though darkness surround you by day,
Your sky by the night be o’ercast,
Let nothing your spirit dismay,
But trust till the danger is past.
5. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice,
His praises proclaiming in song;
Let gratefulness give all a voice,
The loud hallelujahs prolong!
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