THE GRACE OF GIVING AND RECEIVING

02/11/2024

"Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only" (Philippians 4:15).

The doctrine of giving is for everyone in the Church. Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Bidding farewell to the Church at Ephesus, Paul said, "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35). For a direct quote of the Master, Jesus said in Luke 6:38: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

However, not every Christian observes this doctrine of giving, particularly in the area of finances. And there are two reasons for this. 

The first reason is that they don't know or acknowledge that the only way the Kingdom of God functions is by seed time and harvest. As long as you are a Christian, everything you will ever experience or manifest must follow this principle of sowing and reaping or giving and receiving. Proverbs 11:24 says, "There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty." As a Christian, you must have a farmer's orientation. 

Too many have the orientation of traders and miss the will of God for them in their giving. Where these believers get this transactional orientation leads to the second reason why very few operate in the grace of giving and receiving. 

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Serving God is one thing, but who did Jesus refer to as mammon? Mammon is a spirit that was worshipped for gain through financial dealing. In ancient times, Mammon was known as the god of gain. 

Pretending to give to God, many have given to Mammon based on their motives. If your motive is aligned with the principle of seed time and harvest, your giving would be guided by the fact that a harvest will come back to you in due season. However, if mammon is the supervising spirit of your giving, your motive will be the greed of gain. The size of a gift is not indicative of the motive. But the motive would determine the deity behind the act as well as who receives and who doesn't. 

Now, it is easy to understand what Paul meant by "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Galatians 6:8). Sowing on the basis of greed is sowing to the flesh. However, sowing based on Kingdom principles or divine instructions is sowing to the Spirit. 

While I may deal with the people who give in service to Mammon at another time, there is a grace to give and receive the Kingdom way. To take advantage of this grace, 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 AMP says, "Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity."

Your giving should never be accidental or under compulsion if you take advantage of the grace. Rather, it should be planned properly and tied to a specific purpose so that when your harvest shows up, you recognize it and immediately "put in the sickle." Have the orientation of the farmer today and plant. Mark 4:26-29 BSB says, "Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

This is the way of the Kingdom. Have a great day!

Faith-Filled Confession 

I recognize that the Kingdom of God operates in seedtime and harvest cycles. Therefore, I yield to the grace of giving and receiving in Christ Jesus. I always have resources, at all times for the discharge of good works because God has lavished His grace toward me in abundance. Lavish giving and receiving are a functional part of my life from this time onwards. In Jesus' name. Amen 

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:20-54