Daily Devotion Sun. 23/4/2017
23/4/2017 LESSON 8
OFFERING, VOWS AND PROJECT SUPPORT
Quarter’s Theme: UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP
Unit 3: Pathway To Prosperity (Lessons 7-12)
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 10, 235
Devotional Reading: 2 COR. 9:1-15
Topic For Adults
THE HARVEST IS ACCORDING TO THE SOWING
Topic For Youths
FULFIL YOUR VOWS
Topic For Intermediates
GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER
Scripture Lesson
LEV. 22:29; 2 COR. 8:12; 9:7; ECCL. 5:4-7; JUDG. 11:29-40; DEUT. 23:21-23;
EXO. 35:4-5; 35:21-22
(SOUL WINNERS CROWN COMPETITION MONTHS)
MEMORY VERSE
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9:7 (NKJV)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 23/4/2017
Money Is God’s Greatest Rival For Our Worship
Lk. 16:13; 1 Tim. 6:6-10
The Bible has a great deal to say about money. Money is God’s greatest rival for our worship. That is why it is difficult for some people to part with their money and give to God sacrificially. That is why Jesus said, in Luke 16:13. “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Paul gave a serious warning when he wrote to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:6-10 read) .We all know people who have wandered from the faith and brought upon themselves many sorrows because acquisition of money became their god. Money has become the god some people serve. They cannot part with their money and they spend most of their energy looking for the same. The first impressive church discipline recorded in Acts 5 involved money. Ananias and Sapphira both died because they pretended to give more than they did. Since money represents so much danger to our lives, the Scripture also tells us how to be free from bondage to it. The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. Your inability to give to God and his work is an indication that money has mastered you.
POINT OF EMPHASIS: We all know people who have wandered from the faith and brought upon themselves many sorrows because acquisition of money became their god.
PRAYER POINT: Lord Jesus help me to lose the grip of mastery of money over my life in the name of Jesus.
BACKGROUND
Most Christians do not know that giving offering, vows and special donations to God is as old as creation. It is a practice instituted and approved by God. It is not the device of your pastors and church leaders to keep extorting money from you. It is one of the spiritual principles instituted by God for your continual blessings and abundant supplies. Your offerings, vows and special donations also help to maintain a good relationship between you and God. Learn to give without bitterness, complaining and murmuring.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: OFFERING THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD (LEV. 22:29; 2 COR. 8:12; 9:7)
Offering is something offered as a religious sacrifice or token of devotion. There are two main characteristics of an offering to God namely: a) Worthy and b) Acceptable. “Worthy” means something that is deserving, good enough and suitable. Acceptable means something that is satisfactory or adequate. From these characteristics, you can have an idea of the type of offering you should be giving to God. It must be an offering that is deserving, good enough, suitable, satisfactory and adequate. In other words, God deserves your best at all times. The offering must have nothing unrigh-teous associated with it. God hates robbery for burnt-offering. Trade morality is more acceptable in God’s sight than spurious temple munificence. Offering must be presented under the influence of right emotions. God regards the impulses that stir the offerer more than the offering. It is for the offerer’s sake that God requires an offering. In presenting our offerings rightly, we need the followings:
¨ The promptings of love.
¨ The inspiration of gratitude.
¨ The ardour of consecration.
The offering must be offered in a right way. God has made known the right approach to Himself. The offering must be presented with sincerity. Insincerity is unrighteous. The offering must be made to God, and not to win the favour, admiration, or interest of men. The offering must be presented with humility. Self-righteousness is unrighteousness. The offering must be presented with faith in God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. It must be proportionate to our possessions. Our possessions test us. Our willing offerings to God often manifest the righteousness or unrighteousness of our characters as nothing else does. God gives to us that we may have the joy of giving to Him. The righteous offerings of His people are in accordance with His own righteous nature. They manifest the effects of His grace upon their hearts. They tend to spread the knowledge of His benevolence in the earth.
The followings are the few biblical facts about offering:
1) It is a command by God. Exo. 34:20c, Mal. 3:6-8
2) Your offering can do what your prayers cannot achieve. 2 Cor. 9:7-8; Lk. 6:38
3) Your offering provokes remembrance. Ps. 20:3
4) Your offering speaks. Acts 10:1-4
5) It shows how you value God. 2 Sam. 24:24.
6) It attracts its kind. Gal. 6:7, 2 Cor. 9:6.
7) Your offering gives you importance before God. Gen. 4:4.
8) God is interested in what you give. Lk 21:3-4.
9) Your offering connects you to the miraculous supplies. 1 Kgs. 17:15-16.
10) Your offering determines your level. Prov. 28:22; 11:24-25.
11) God has a standard of what you must offer him. Lev. 22:22-23.
12) God is interested in your attitude when giving. Lev. 22:29; 2 Cor. 8:12; 9:7.
There is something about offering that made God to ask for it. It is to enable you tap into his limitless abundance. Be wise and generous in this matter, so that it can go well with you. Prayers cannot get what can be gotten by biblical principles.
PART 2: GOD EXPECTS US TO FULFIL OUR VOWS (ECCL. 5:4-7; JUDG. 11:29-40; DEUT. 23:21-23)
Vow is a promise to worship God with a certain offering in the future, motivated by gratitude for God’s grace in the life of the offerer. Vow is usually made, promising to offer something to God if God would intervene on behalf of the individual. In many instances, vows are made in a time of great danger or need. There are about 30 biblical references to vows, most of which are from the Old Testament. The books of Leviticus and Numbers have several references to vows in relation to offerings and sacrifices. There were dire consequences for the Israelites who made and broke vows, especially vows to God.
Numerous examples of vows similar to those of Leviticus 27 can be found in the Bible. Jacob vowed to pay a tithe if God would bless and keep him (Gen. 28:20-22). The Nazarite vow is defined in Numbers chapter 6 and Samson (Judges 13) is the most famous Old Testament example. When the Israelites fought the Canaanite king of Arad, they vowed to utterly destroy their cities if God gave them victory (Num. 21:1-3). The most tragic vow is that of Jephthah, who vowed to offer to God the first thing to came from his tent to greet him, which proved to be his only daughter (Judg. 11:29-40). Hannah vowed that if God gave her a son she would give him to the Lord all his life (1 Sam. 1:10-11). Jonah’s vow was made from the belly of the great fish that had swallowed him (Jonah 2:9). Vows were also made by the heathen (Jonah 1:16). In the New Testament, we find that Paul continued to make vows and fulfil them (Acts 18:18; cf. 21:23).
A broken vow, while serious, is not an unforgivable matter if taken to the Lord in true confession. God will not hold us to vows made imprudently, but He expects us to obey Jesus and refrain from making vows in the future. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it, for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God (Eccl. 5:4-7).
PART 3: SACRIFICIAL GIVING TOWARDS CHURCH PROJECTS (EXO. 35:4-5, EXO. 35:21-22)
It is a natural progression that as a family grows, they eventually try to own their own home. Similarly, as a church grows, a church eventually owns a buil-ding. It is natural and biblical for church to own their building or any other assets that can assist in the adminis-tration and expansion of the gospel. Exo. 35:4-5 “And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze;” Here Moses was commanded by God to build a tabernacle of worship for the Lord. He would need materials, skilled workers and a lot more. The response of the congregation was amazing. In Exo. 35:21-22 “Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the Lord.
It appears that all the people, men and women, rich and poor, brought gifts of all kinds. Their stirred hearts caused them to seek and search for ways to give, not excuses for why they could not give. The giving was abundant and exceeded the expectations (Exo. 35:23-29). The response of the people to Moses’ challenge was overwhelming. The people
responded in three ways.
a) They gave finances-the people gave of their resources for the construction of the temple (Exo. 35:4-9. 20-29, 36:1-7).
b) They gave time – the skilled craftsman help to build the tabernacle (Exo. 35:10; 35:30-39:43).
c) They followed instructions – the people obey the Lord’s prescriptions regarding the tabernacle (38:21-40:33).
Moses had to stop the people because too much was coming inside. (Exo. 36:6-7) “And Moses gave commandment… Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it and too much.” What we have witnessed here should be our attitude towards church projects.
CONCLUSION
There is something about offering and special donations that made God to ask for it. It is to enable you tap into His limitless abundance. Giving to God is part of our worship. Be wise and generous in this matter, so that it can go well with you. Prayers cannot get what can be gotten by biblical principles. Your giving must be deserving, good enough, suitable, satis-factory and adequate to God at all times so that God can move mightily on your behalf.
QUESTIONS
- Lists five biblical facts about offering.
- In presenting our offering right before God we need three things. Name them.
- List three people in the Old Testament that made vows and fulfilled them in the Scripture.
- Name one person that made a vow in the New Testament.
- Compare our present response to giving to church project to what obtained in Exodus 35 and 36.
