OPEN HANDS, OPEN HEARTS
“Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruit of all thine increase. So shall thine barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst forth with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10)
“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
(Acts 20:35)
Wow, ten months in! It is October already, and officially the start of the last quarter of 2024. God has indeed been faithful. I trust that you have awakened to your identity in Christ. You know who you are, so be authentic, embrace your uniqueness, work on your weaknesses, build your strengths, be a person of character and integrity, and do not forget to celebrate yourself. My prayer is that you will live out God’s plan for your life, walk in the center of His will, and remain true to Him.
So what is the Holy Ghost saying to us this month? October is thanksgiving month. However, we understand as children of God that thanksgiving is not just what we do once in a while; it is meant to be a lifestyle. That being said, one major way we show gratitude is through giving. Hence, our theme for this month is OPEN HANDS, OPEN HEARTS. The Holy Spirit is calling our attention to this very important aspect of our worship to God: the act of giving.
Remember the parable of the sower in Mark 4:2-20? A major mystery of the kingdom was illustrated using the law of seedtime and harvest, planting and reaping (Math 13:11). You see, giving as an act of worship is a mystery (Mark 4:26-29), and it is important that we understand that as much as God expects us to give cheerfully and willingly, the very act of kingdom-giving is not a suggestion (Deut 16:16-17, Mal 3:10). So why should we give? How must we give? And what are we to give?
We are to give God our lives, our bodies as living sacrifices; we are to offer to Him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and the fruit of our lips (Psalm 116:17; Rom 12:1). We are to give Him our energy, our resources, our time, our all (Mark 12:30). Our emphasis will be on our resources, because you cannot truly love without giving; true love gives (John 3:16; 2 Corith 8:8). Giving is also an act of faith: we need to understand that giving is sowing, and there will always be a harvest (Gen 8:22). You can give your way up, and give your way out of any challenge; you can literally change the tide through a sacrificial act of giving (Gen 8:20-21; 1 Kings 3:4-5; 17:7-16). Those who give precious seeds will doubtless come back with bountiful harvests (Psalm 126:5-6). It is also important we understand that we are to start from where we are: there is nothing too small or too big to give. Remember the widow’s mite in Mark 12:41-44? When the Bible says that the liberal soul shall be made fat, it implies that the liberal soul was not giving from a place of plenty. But because he did not become weary in well-doing, it brought fatness to him (Prov 11:25). When we give despite the little we have, it is a statement of faith to God that He is our sufficiency. It takes an open hand to receive; you have to release what you are holding onto inorder to receive what God is giving you.
Psalm 20:1-3 tells us that our offerings speak for us. The story of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41) shows us that generosity speaks loud and clear. Solomon, Abraham, and Abel got heaven’s attention through their act of giving.
Moreover, God expects us to give to those whom He has placed over us (1 Tim 5:17-18). When we honor those God has set over us, we share in the grace of God upon their lives (Phil 4:15-19). We are also meant to give generously towards the work of the Kingdom. When the tabernacle was being built in the wilderness, the Israelites gave from the gold they received when they left Egypt(Exo 35:4-29). The Scriptures rightly say that it is through prosperity that the work of God’s Kingdom will spread far (Zech 1:17).
Finally, we are to give cheerfully, willingly and not out of necessity. Never give with a donation-mentality, or with the mindset that God’s work will be stranded if you do not give only. No human is powerful enough to stop God’s work by being selfish. Jesus told His disciples that if people refuse or are reluctant to act, stones will be their replacement (Luke 19:40). This is why, among other things, giving is a privileged act of worship; God still owns the silver and gold, and can always bring gold from a fish’s mouth. See your giving as a partnership with God. It is a privilege to partner with God to advance His kingdom. Moreso, we are to give honorably (Prov 3:9; Mal 1:6-14), intentionally, from a place of righteousness (Math 5:23-24), and with open hearts.
It is impossible to cover the subject of giving in a few paragraphs which is why it is important that you do not miss any of the series this month. We shall be considering: More than singing (giving of thanks); A Living Sacrifice; Your life is not yours, Give yourself, energy, time, resources and substances.
You should also look forward to the daily word for the day. It is my prayer that everyone one of us abounds in the giving grace in a greater dimension (2 Corith 8:1-7).
God bless you all.