THE CHRISTIAN GIVING

The Scriptures leave us with a discovery of how brimming the Word is with instances of giving. But it doesn’t suddenly close on such alone; it furthers on, plainly detailing the returns of giving.

Some trusted unearthing of the Bible sees us carting back three basic forms of giving which a faithful servant is expected to earnestly embrace on his sojourning in this life.

 

Direct giving to God comes first. Here, the believer gives directly to God. It’s oftentimes met when one dedicates or devotes one’s particular time to praise, worship or exalt the living God. Such particular time is solely spared to God, and for God, alone. It’ an ought for a faithful servant to excel here.

THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS

The nature of man makes him selective in what to be thankful about. Yet as disciples, the Word challenges us to be thankful in all things: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”—1Thess. 5:18. There’s no getting around it. God wants us to pray with thanksgiving when the future is uncertain, when heartbreak hits, and when shortfalls come.

Surely, when faced with difficulties and life’s hurdles, it is hard to be grateful. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Wonderfully, there’s something great that should inspire us to be thankful in all things. This is our knowledge that “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”—Romans 8:28.

Again, searching the Scriptures, we discover a number of sound examples of believers who stood out in their faith, praying and giving thanks to God in troublous moments of their time.

FAITH THAT THRILLS

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.—Acts: 10:42:

To an honest yet exceedingly wealthy man, it’s an offense just to doubt him honoring his own voluntary, solemn pledge of furnishing you with money for a bicycle. Firstly, he hasn’t been asked to pledge but he’s done it out of the abundance of his kind heart. Again, he’s not one to be associated with financial inadequacy; he has the bucks in plenty.

What more throbbing and insulting is it always to our loving and caring Almighty God when we doubt Him honoring His own promises for His children! Do we doubt that, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it”? (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

And for this, I like the Word of God. It’s never a question of how compelling we are to share it; lest we forget this: in itself it is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)