UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF GIVING IN MINISTRY

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: FRIDAY, 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2023 

TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF GIVING IN MINISTRY

TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 9

1. Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;

2. for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

3. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready;

4. lest if [some] Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.

5.  Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which [you had] previously promised, that it may be ready as [a matter of] generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

6.  But this [I say:] He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7.  [So let] each one [give] as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8.  And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all [things,] may have an abundance for every good work.

9.  As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."

10.  Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have [sown] and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

11.  while [you are] enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

12.  For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,

13.  while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for [your] liberal sharing with them and all [men,]

14.  and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.

15.  Thanks [be] to God for His indescribable gift!

MESSAGE: 

A brother who served as a missionary once was in a difficult financial situation. The mission field had a crisis and this affected every aspect of life of the community. There was no food in the house and there was no money to buy. Brother Ken, with the wife, took their petitions to God in prayers and sat back in their home and waited. He confirmed that he didn't know how they would feed. But sometime in the afternoon of that fateful day, there was a knock at their door. The visitor came with all that they needed and more. The visitor testified that she was led to give.

When we withhold what we can freely give for another's use, we do wrong. Thus, Brother Paul, in chapter 9 encourages the Christians in the Corinthian Churches to be more committed in their work with God, especially in giving to the work of the ministry and to the saints. Paul appealed for their voluntary acceptance to participate in raising funds for the brethren who were suffering lack in Jerusalem. We are encouraged therein to be more proactive in giving, owing to the fact that there are certain individuals and congregations that would be helped greatly by our gifts of love. God rewards cheerful givers and good work.

PRAYER: 

Father, may You touch us to understand the need to give as it concerns Your work in Jesus name Amen.