GIVING FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD AND GIVING TO HELP THE NEEDY
Giving has been part of man from the beginning and have continued to be up till now. The scriptures are full of descriptions like rich and poor, king and subjects, men, women and children, widows and the fatherless, master and servant etc. Masters live with servants and kings with subjects. That’s what Col. 3, addressed in part, about parents and children, husbands and wives, masters and servants living with and amongst each other. In the beginning, in Gen. 2, God saw that Adam was alone and made him a woman for companionship and help mate. Abraham had servants in his house and Sarah had maidens. God enjoined man, that to help each other is actually to fulfill his will; and will attract God’s favor to man.
CHEERFUL GIVER
2nd Cor. 9:6-12, but this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increaseth the fruits of your righteousness: Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. Also in Col. 3:23-25, it reads, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”
MINISTERING TO THE NEEDY
God has always demarcated, given for the work of the ministry of God, and giving to the poor and needy. The bible usually interchanges this with giving to the poor, 2nd Cor. 9: 8 – 9. REMEMBER THAT IF YOU HAVE DONE IT TO ANY IN NEED, YOU HAVE DONE IT TO ME. Matthew 25:32-46, And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Proverbs 19:17, He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. To have pity upon the poor is to lend to the LORD and apart from the LORD paying back, it assures one’s righteousness before the LORD. By giving to the needy you fulfill the Will of God and gladden the hearts of men and God. This great service crowns the faithful with God’s righteousness.
LIBERAL SOUL SHALL BE MADE FAT….
Proverbs 11:24-28, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. He that diligently seeketh good, procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
HEALING AS BENEFIT FOR SHOWING MERCY ON FELLOW MEN
Psalms 41:1-2, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
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. Generally, the LORD regards giving as help, to the ones in need, as showing mercy. Again He regards it as one not shutting his bowel of mercy, which is wickedness.
Phil. 2:1-7 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
Col. 3:12-17, Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which, also, ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
GIVING FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD
Matt. 6: 33 says… to Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and every other thing shall be added unto you. Matt. 26:7-11, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, to what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. Jesus said unto them, why trouble ye the woman? For, she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. The Lord admonished that the great singular act of hers must not be overlooked or disturbed because it has a special position before the LORD. He admonished, that concerning the poor……YOU HAVE THE POOR ALWAYS BEFORE YOU, but Him the LORD must be first. Giving to the poor is part of working for the Lord. Luke 6:38, Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Some give to get rewarded today and some others give to get rewarded both here and in the life after. Remember to give cheerfully for God loves a cheerful giver.
SOWING AND REAPING
Giving for the Work of God has another dimension as in Matt. 25:14-34. It lifts the faithful into a position of authority and reduces the mocker to the lot, of an unprofitable servant. In Luke 19:12-27, He said therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) For I say unto you, that unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
SEED TIME AND HARVEST
To give, to the LORD’S Work is like Seed Time and Harvest. Gen. 8:21-22 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Also remember Gen. 9:11-17, when God made a covenant with man and the rainbow in the sky is the witness: that God promised never to destroy the world again with water. Read and MEDITATE on Gal.6:7 to 8 and 2nd Cor. 9.
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN GIVING TO GOD AND GIVING TO THE NEEDY.
The ability to understand the difference between giving to the needy and giving to the LORD will help the faithful to know when, where, how, and what to sow having their particular purposes in mind; as they are persuaded by the Holy Spirit. Very often we give to God and forget the poor and the needy in our midst. It’s possible that a lot of people have given, for one purpose, outside their mind but continue to wait unending, for the blessings they’re not qualified to. The motive behind every giving is weighed by God; that is why the scripture also talks about a cheerful giver: Not only your motive but also the cheerfulness of the heart when you give. Remember to do unto others as you would want others to do unto you: Give in that spirit and with that consideration. Many of us come to church with one hundred currency note but give God the coins or smaller currencies in our pockets. See God is watching you. Remember seed time and harvest time; if you sow sparingly or bountifully that is what you get.
Finally, men do not just give to earn, but heartily do the Will of God who gave us wholly Himself; shedding His blood for man’s sake that we might live. He who gave his life a ransom for many (1st Tim.2:6) did not sow sparingly but bountifully. That was his seed time (the cross), and the saved is his harvest time (the first resurrection participants). Giving is not to be a commercial business type, but for the work of the LORD, while being encouraged and also encouraging others at the same, that, “Faithful is He that calleth, Who will also Do it,” (1st Thess.5:24). The scriptures says, STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE TRUTH.
103 – GIVING FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD AND GIVING TO HELP THE NEEDY