Lend to God: Devotion for Sunday March 8, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday March 8, 2016

Topic: Lend To God                                                         

Text: Proverbs 19:17  

Our text for the day is a very interesting one because many people are confused about it and they have kept acting ignorantly. A friend gave me this request: “My Pastor, please help me in prayer. I am going through terrible bad times. I am so badly indebted. Nothing is moving around me and I have been seeking God’s face to help me. The more I am sowing the seed, the more things are getting worse. Cash, my electronics, my jeep car, all I have given with hope to be better but the opposite is what I get. I am so much indebted. Please pray for me.”

What led this friend into debt is ignorance and lack of basic foundation of Christian faith. Lending to God must not be with conditions or with intent to receive more. God is not a lottery. It must come from a heart of love for God and the recipient.

Our text says that the best investment of our property is in deeds of charity. Compassion is the inward principle of charity in the heart and it is to have pity on the poor. You may not have a kobo for the poor, yet you can have pity for them, a charitable concern and sympathy bearing in mind what Paul sail in 1 Corinthians 13:3. See also Isaiah 58:10.

Lending to the Lord or seed sowing should not be a priority due to desire to have more rather due to love for God and humanity. Anything outside of this will amount to regret of your charitable deeds and seed sowing. Let the love for God propel us in giving to God and fellow human beings in need.

Food for Thought: Isaiah 58:10

Memory verse: Proverbs 28:27         

Prayer: Lord God, may love for you propel me into charitable deeds and seed sowing.

IT PAYS TO BE CHARITABLE (2): Devotion for Tuesday September 27, 2016

IT PAYS TO BE CHARITABLE (2): Devotion for Tuesday September 27, 2016

Text: 2 Samuel 19:31 – 39      Memory verse: 1 King 2:7

After David had installed Solomon as the King to take over from him, the words in 1 Kings 2:7 were part of his admonition to him. In that passage, he admonished or charged Solomon to show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who will eat at your table. He went further to give reason for this advice. He noted that they came to him when h fled from Absalom his brother during his mutiny.

Barzillai was friendly and hospitable to David while he was fleeing from Absalom who wanted to kill him so as to ascend the throne easily and quickly. He and some others mentioned in 2 Sam 17:27–29, brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. The bible stated that they gave reasons for bring those items when they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.” This act saved the life of David and the men with him who were desperately in need of food. This act of charity and love from Barzillai remained indelible in the heart of David that he remembered it at his deathbed.

Here, David asked Solomon to continue to provide them with what could be termed, a royal pension because of Barzillai’s act of charity and friendship. This shows that there is no act of hospitality and charity that has no reward. Yesterday we saw Dorcas, today we are reading about Barzillai. Will you be the one we will hear his/her story tomorrow? How much help do you render people in need? There were people who stood against David like Shemei, etc. Do act like them. It pays to be good, charitable and hospitable, and they all have their rewards now and in eternity. As you go out today, ensure you will extend charitable acts to someone.

Food for Thought: Being good and doing acts of charity pays to doer more than the receiver.  

Prayer: Almighty God and our Father in heaven, grant me the passion to be good to people especially those in need through charitable deeds in Jesus name. Amen.

IT PAYS TO BE CHARITABLE (1): Devotion for Monday September 26, 2016

IT PAYS TO BE CHARITABLE (1): Devotion for Monday September 26, 2016

Text: Acts 9:36 – 43                          Memory verse: v 40

It pays to be charitable because that is the best way to serve God and humanity. This was the emphasis of Jesus Christ in Matt 25:31–46. The testimony of Tabitha (Dorcas) here is challenging. Acts 9:36 says, “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.” Christians, who have not property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity; working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. We should understand that our works of charity will definitely praise us. People will acknowledge what we do and sometimes act in our favour as these people did for Dorcas. We shouldn’t be ungrateful when we receive kindness from people.

While we live upon the fullness of Christ for our whole salvation, we should desire to be full of good works, for the honour of His name, and for the benefit of His saints as mark of gratitude for His mercies. This is what Sir Thomas Browne posited when he said, “Be charitable before wealth makes you covetous.” Such characters as Dorcas are useful where they dwell, as showing the excellence of the word of truth by their lives. Are you one of them?

Food for Thought: “Nothing will make us so charitable and tender to the fault of others, as, by self examination, thoroughly to know our own” Francis FeNelon.

Prayer: Lord, teach me acts of charity so I will never close my eyes to the needs of people around me in Jesus name.