Acts 10:4 says; “And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, ‘what is it lord?’ So He said to him, your prayers and your alms have come up as a memorial before God.”
It is true that Cornelius gifts came up before God as a memorial, however, it wasn’t only his alms that pleased God, it was his faith that pleased God.
Hebrews 11:6 says; “but without faith it is impossible to please God.” It takes faith to give to God and His work and it is the faith of Cornelius that pleased God.
His giving was a token of his faith and a manifestation of his trust in God and God’s faithfulness, just as our giving today is a token of our faith and a manifestation of our trust in God.
If we withhold what God tells us to give, it speaks volumes, it says we don’t believe what the word of God says concerning giving…ultimately, it says we don’t truly trust God. It takes faith to give to God.
The bible says more about giving than it says about heaven and hell, did you know that? It’s true. The word of God tells us that faith in giving is actually the LEAST faith we should have.
Luke 16:10-11 says; “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches?”
This is very important friends, Jesus said if we are not faithful in giving, if we don’t have faith to give, we will not have faith for anything greater. Our giving is a TOKEN of our FAITH.
When we give, our faith speaks!
Just this week I was blessed to prepare a meal for a minister from Africa. In the rush to get everything ready for his meal, the Lord asked me this question; where is his gift?
I suddenly realized I had not prepared a gift for this man of God who was blessing my home with his presence. I quickly ran out and got a gift, placed it in a nice package and made ready to bless this Pastor who has blessed so many. It was my way of honoring him and what he is doing in the earth to establish Gods kingdom.
Now, the rest of that story is that I had not had a great month financially, it seemed there was attack after attack and I was weary and was not thinking about giving. However, God knew how to break the attack, give and keep on giving. So, I prepared the best gift I could and I gave from a pure heart.
When I give, I have a right, I have access to some of the promises of God concerning giving. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells me when I give I will have abundance for every good work. Meaning I will be able to give abundantly to all those who bless me and who are doing a good work.
However, we must note that the entirety of that promise doesn’t start in verse 8, it begins in verse 6. “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 Cor. 9:6-8
But let’s don’t stop there – the word of God goes on to say “now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God!” 2 Cor. 9:10-11
Today my prayer for you is that as you give bountifully to the Lord, whatever you have purposed in your heart and give cheerfully, that our God makes ALL grace abound toward you and that you ALWAYS have ALL SUFFICIENCY in all things and that you have an ABUNDANCE for every good work.
I pray also that God SUPPLIES and MULTIPLIES the seeds you have sown and the seeds you continue to sow and that He increases the FRUITS OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS and that you are enriched in everything….to the point that it causes you to erupt with THANKSGIVING TO GOD this very week. To God be all the glory!
