Give your best sacrifice unto God
In 2 Samuel 24: 22-25, we read about the time when king David was given a Word from God by one of the Prophets of Israel, Gad. The Prophet instructed David to build an alter for God on the threshing land of Araunah. David knew that in order for him to build an alter for the Lord, he had to buy the land. When Araunah heard that the king wanted to buy his land, he wanted to give it to him for free. However, David declined the offer and bought the threshing land and he also bought the oxen that he was going to make a sacrifice with unto the Lord. David reasoned that he cannot offer sacrifices to Lord out of something that he received for nothing.
David was determined not to make a sacrifice to God with things that he did not pay for. We can learn from David that when we sacrifices to the Lord, we must not sacrifice with things that mean nothing to us, but rather we must sacrifice unto the Lord with things that have cost us and things that are precious to us.
After David made sacrifices unto the Lord with what he valued and what has cost him, God was pleased with him and as a result, all the people of Israel were blessed. As Christians, when we give what is precious to us, when we give with all our hearts, our giving will also be beneficial to our families. God will not only bless the giver, but He will also bless the giver’s children and loved one.
In order for God to bless us and our families, we need to give sacrificially, and our sacrifice must not be something that has cost us nothing. Your sacrifice must be pleasing to God, and you cannot give God what you don’t want and expect him to be pleased. You cannot give God what you got for free and call it a sacrifice.
When you give the best thing that you possess, you need to have a pain in your heart, and through that pain God releases the best. This pain of giving should not make you to complain, but should rather make you anxious for God to bless you. This pain should prompt you to talk to God and remind Him of your sacrifice. This pain should also be able to release the things which your family does not even deserve.
Through your sacrificial giving, your unsaved family can also receive blessings from God. Your sacrifices will bring your unsaved family to God. Therefore, when you plant a seed, it must be so good that it will advocate for your whole family. When you give to God, it should create a hole. And that hole will be filled abundantly by God. If you did not create a hole in your giving, where would God fill in your life? He will find you carrying things that you don’t need. He will find you hanging on to the things that you were supposed to give to Him. Those things will be holding you back from God’s blessings.
For you to receive and to be a friend of God, you need to plant. Last week the Man of God, Senior Prophet Rodney taught us that for us to receive wealth, we must give. I believe all of us want to receive wealth as it impossible to do anything without money in this day and age. So, for you to receive money, you need to plant a seed of money.
For the seed to grow and for your store house in Heaven to be filled up, you need to give. You can’t plant a seed that means nothing to you, and expect it to please God. When you plant your precious seed, God will appreciate it because He know that you have realised that He is worthy of your good things. To be able to plant a precious seed, you need to understand who God is in your life. If you don’t know who God is in your life and you don’t appreciate what He is giving you, you will not be able to understand the principle of giving. You need to make a giving that will speak for your career. A giving that will enable you get promotion even though you don’t deserve.
You need to have a heart of giving, although giving is not an easy thing. Giving is influenced by the Spirit of God, who will urge you to give your best. The Holy Spirit will command you to give the thing which your life depend on. When you give and you have not received yet, it is more painful. But when you receive at last you understand and you become thankful to God.
The pain must be there and if you don’t have it yet, know that you have not reached a level of giving sacrificially. If you have never thought hard about what you have given with, and then afterwards become thankful unto God, understand that you have not reached the level that God wants you to reach in giving. Until you reach that level your blessings are withheld.
You need to plant to receive, but planting is not only about money. You can give with your hands, your wisdom or expertise. You can even give with your clothes. We have different ministries of giving. Some of you God will give you wealth to be able to support His children. Some will be given wisdom to be able to guide the children of God. Some God will bless their hands to work in His house. So don’t be sad when you don’t have money to give. God gives money to those who are obedient to do the right things in His house.
We are still in the Month of Yes. But how do you get excited if you know that you don’t plant? From whose seed are you going to reapt? Are you expecting someone to plant a seed for you and your family and for your children?
You must also continue to pay your tithe. If are not paying your tithe, you are robbing God, and you need to repent. Someone might feel that he or she is blessed because she or he is giving to the poor but does not pay tithe. That is wrong because you do give to the poor yes, but there is no protection upon your financial life.
You might think that you do have money even if you don’t pay tithe, but only to find that you don’t have peace and joy in your heart. If you have money and you are not paying your tithe, it does not mean that God will start attack your finances, but when you pay tithe you will experience peace and joy in your heart. You might have money and you find that you are constantly under the devil’s attack.
The Bible says that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55: 9). We must be able to meditate in his Word which says that we must give. The Bible further says that even if you can do great miracles but does not have love, you are empty. Giving is an expression of love. You cannot give without love. Today when you give your sacrifice, remember that it is not only for you but it is also for your family and for your children who are not even born yet. Give a sacrifice that will please God.
Glory be to God