Day16_Reflection

DAY 16: PRAYER FOCUS:

CHOOSING GENEROSITY

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 (NKJV)

We bless God for how far he has brought us in this fast. Today, our mind and hearts are draw to giving or sowing with all joy and cheerfulness. Unfortunately, this subject is another area a lot of us Christians are weak in – giving for the sake of God’s kingdom. Sometimes the unwillingness of Christians in refusing to give is as a result of the show-off of acquired properties by some Men of God on social media and in public. We are not saying the Man of God should be poor and tatted, however if the members are blessing you and the house of God with their offerings and tithes, it is important that they are put to good use to the benefit of the community. Jesus in Matthew 5:20 said “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”.

Now, all attention on we the givers. Let us note that our giving is not because of the Man of God. Your giving should be with a focus towards God and you seeking something higher than the Man of God. Sometimes we don’t understand why we are in the same church but others seem to be progressing every time and we seem stagnant and not seeing any progress. Please check your giving habit. I want you to know that, aside praying and fasting, Jesus also mentions giving. In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus highlights three important things of which starts with giving. He said “So when you give…” (verse 2-4), then “And when you pray…” (verse 5-15) and “When you fast…” (verse 16-18). There is a sister in Christ I was interceding for that God will bless her with the fruit of the womb. This was over a period of 4 to 5 years after she got married. One day as I was praying the spirit of God said tell her to go and sow a seed with her Priest (she is a Catholic). She obeyed, and the result of her obedience was the blessing of twins and also the blessing of a five years visa for her and the husband to the USA.

Sometimes we hold on tight and don’t want to release, but expect God to put in our hands. Just try this illustration. Squeeze your left palm and use your right hand to drop a ball or stone into the left. You notice the ball or stone drops, because the left palm is squeezed. That is how the blessing falls off when God is giving to you. Until you release what is in your palm, the blessings will continue to fall off. Jesus is always checking what we give. How do I know this? In Luke 21:3, Jesus said “Truly I tell you, he said, this poor widow has put in more than all the others”. St. Paul breaks Jesus words down by telling us to “give as each purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity”.

Brethren, we can never out give God who is the giver. In Deuteronomy 8:18 we read that “for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant…”. Note also that God’s hand is not too short to save you or bless you (Isaiah 59:1) in return for sowing bountifully. Therefore, I encourage to sow your seeds of breakthrough as the fast comes to an end. Trust him for what you are sowing, and see his salvation. Don’t let it stop there, but anytime you are moved by God to give, do it cheerfully and bountifully. Read Isaiah 58 – Fasting principles designed by God (emphasis on verse 7).

Shalom.