1. I write to you about GIVING AND RECEIVING, not because I desire a GIFT, “… I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be CONTENT. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both TO BE FULL and TO BE HUNGRY, both to abound and to suffer need” [Philippians 4:11-12] I am sure you are aware of some who suppose GIVING is BRIBING God for financial favour and others who think EXTORTION is RECEIVING, “… men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: from such withdraw thyself” [1 Timothy 6:5] GIVING AND RECEIVING are SPIRITUAL EXERCISES, not financial BARGAIN, whose end is FRUIT that abides to EVERLASTING LIFE, as it is written: “… when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning GIVING AND RECEIVING, but ye only. .. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire FRUIT that may abound to YOUR ACCOUNT” [Philippians 4:15-17] Your ACCOUNT is with God, not your Pastor and the FRUIT is not more houses and cars, but TREASURES in heavenly places, therefore, “… lay up for yourselves TREASURES IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” [Matthew 6:20]
2. God cares more about the GIVER than his OFFERING, and “… the LORD had RESPECT UNTO ABEL and to his OFFERING: But unto CAIN and HIS OFFERING HE HAD NOT RESPECT” [Genesis 4:4-5] God had “RESPECT UNTO ABEL”, and subsequently ACCEPTED his OFFERING, but to Cain He said: “IF THOU DOEST WELL, SHALT THOU NOT BE ACCEPTED? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. …” [Genesis 4:7] Friend, God has no record of what you GIVE until you are “ACCEPTED WITH HIM”, for “… GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS: But in every nation he that FEARETH HIM, and worketh RIGHTEOUSNESS, is ACCEPTED WITH HIM” [Acts 10:34-35] Our OFFERINGS are “ACCEPTED WITH HIM” when we take up His offer of LOVE as manifest in Jesus Christ “For God so LOVED the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE” [John 3:16] GIVING is proof of the LOVE of God in us, not a religious obligation; let the GIVER give cheerfully and in LOVE as unto the Lord, first to the “HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH” and then to all men, “… doing good unto all men, ESPECIALLY UNTO them who are of the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH” [Galatians 6:10] Let us provoke one another to GIVE beyond narrow parish partitions, breaking down denominational walls to WATER the SEED of RIGHTEOUSNESS, as it is written: “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and HE THAT WATERETH SHALL BE WATERED also himself” [Proverbs 11:25]
3. I write to MINISTERS of the NEW TESTAMENT and am one, the MANDATE to RECEIVE is a TRUST, and must not be abused with COVETOUSNESS. Let us walk in WISDOM and In FAITH with those without the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH who bring donations to seek a favour from the Lord. If we take the largesse without laying the foundation of TRUTH in them, we are MONEY LAUNDERERS, “… following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS” [2 Peter 2:15] In regard to the flocks of Christ, what we RECEIVE from them is neither REWARD nor GAIN, that should be obtained with “FEIGNED WORDS or EXTORTION, as foretold: “And through COVETOUSNESS shall they with FEIGNED WORDS MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth in not, and their DAMNATION slumbereth not” [2 Peter 2:3] What we RECEIVE, we RECEIVE in the name of the Lord and must be apportioned according to His WILL. The culture of a Senior Pastor taking the lion share or presiding over the purse is contrary to our FAITH; the Apostles said to the Church, “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:3-4) Everyone that ministers in one form or another in the Church is entitled to RECEIVE, according to NEED; indeed every SAINT who is NEEDY, that none may lack in the household of God [Acts 4:34-35]
4. Thus says the Lord: “… I COME QUICKLY; and MY REWARD is with me, TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE” [Revelation 22:12] The GIVER and RECEIVER are STEWARDS of RIGHTEOUSNESS; God who empowers the GIVER, also gives GRACE to the RECEIVER to provide what is lacking in the GIVER, “Now he that ministereth SEED TO THE SOWER both minister BREAD FOR YOUR FOOD, and MULTIPLY YOUR SEED SOWN, and INCREASE the FRUITS OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS;)” [2 Corinthians 9:10] According to divine purpose, the GIVER and RECEIVER are STEWARDS of RIGHTEOUSNESS; one relieves the other of the daily rigor of material BREAD, that he may apply himself to supply spiritual BREAD. At His Coming, the Lord shall WEIGH the GIVER according to his MOTIVE, the RECEIVER by the INTEGRITY of his heart and give everyman according as His work. If the MOTIVE for your GIVING is more riches you are as wrong as the RECEIVER who takes pride in crass materialism, “… SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS:… ” [1 Timothy 6:5] Brethren, let us be FAITHFUL in GIVING and RECEIVING, so we are not condemned at His Coming, “WATCH therefore: for ye know not WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME” [Matthew 24:42]
5. If you are not BORN AGAIN, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today, amen
voiceoflasttrumpets 