Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
Memorise: There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and
there is that witholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Proverbs
11:24
Read: John 6:5-13
Our God can go to extremes in areas such as giving. When He
really wants to give, He gives massively. Imagine using 5 loaves of bread and 2
fishes to feed 5,000 men, excluding children and women. Going by the fact that
women were usually more among the followers of Jesus, that could have been
about 12,000 people or more. Yet, there were leftovers. As awesome as this
miracle was, it must not be forgotten that a young boy created the platform for
God to perform this miracle of super abundance by first giving up his lunch. I
once asked my children what happened to the 12 baskets of extras that came out
of that miraculous provision and they replied that each of the apostles must
have gone home with one basket. But they were wrong. All 12 baskets would have
been given to that little boy because where the water comes from, is where it
will return. Just imagine that boy getting home with 12 baskets of bread and fishes.
His parents must have asked how he got them and he would have told them the
story. I believe that family would have learnt a big lesson concerning giving.
Learn from this story. Do you think the boy was the only one
with food in the midst of that crowd? No! What happened to others who had some
food? Their food was hoarded and so remained that way. If that boy had kept
back his meal just like others, the crowd could have starved because God needs
man to give something for Him to multiply. If you bring empty hands He will
multiply your emptiness and at the end of the day, you will be the greater
loser. Some of those who hid their food would have been asked to help the boy
carry his booty home. They would have been saying: “this provision could have been
mine”! They would have regretted their action. Furthermore, there might have
been some of them who would have wanted to offer theirs but either they were
too slow or they were still thinking or praying about it when the boy beat them
to it. Be quick to give to God. Always lead others in giving because there is a
reward for it. Like that boy, children and teens should learn to give to God.
They are not too young to give to God. Parents must give their children
offering to give in church and teach them how to pay their tithes on the gifts
they receive from others. The earlier, the better.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to lead others when it comes to giving.
Bible in one year: Acts 21-24
Dear Lord God make me a blessing to others, Give me the grace to always give timeously, graciously and bountifully to your kingdom in Jesus' name. Amen
ReplyDeleteO lord M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ God u said givers never lack anyting good. As you are giving me evryday , give me the grace to giv odas bountifuly aswell . Contn to raise M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ hands up day by day and make me a blessed to M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ generation and M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ family. IJN
ReplyDeleteGod put I̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ ♍γ̲̣̣̥ heart the giving spirit
ReplyDeleteLord teach ♍ε̲̣̣̣̥ †̥ be a giver i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ ur kingdom. IJN
ReplyDeleteI think there is no need for prayer, because giving is from the mind,once you makeup your mind it become a debt that you must serve before other. Therefore, giving is an instuction that must be follow to the later. Glory!!!
ReplyDelete@exsolution, we stil nid 2 ask 4 d grace 2 give..
ReplyDelete