GOFAMINT DEVOTIONAL - THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH FED PROPHET ELIJAH

GOFAMINT DAILY DEVOTIONAL

BE A CHEERFUL GIVER

WedNESDAY 20/7/2022 

Suggested Hymns: GHB. 133

Devotional Readings: Prov. 3:9-10

Topic For Adults: Be A Cheerful Giver

Topic For Youths: It Pays To Give Than To Receive

Topic For Intermediates: Stinginess Is Bad

Lesson Scriptures: Prov. 3:9-10; 11:24-25; Deut. 8:18; Lev. 22:18-24; Deut. 15:21

 

MEMORY VERSE

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself” (Proverbs 11:24 - 25) NKJV.

 

 

 

   The Widow Of Zarephath Fed Prophet Elijah   

  1 KINgs. 17:9-14

The widow of Zarephath was the instrument that God used in this passage to feed  Elijah. The woman gave out of her little resources at the time when it was not convenient. If the woman was to act by the tone of Elijah’s voice, she might not do anything, but instead, she humbly, obediently and willingly gave what she had, and was greatly rewarded by God through the prophet’s prayer. Every avenue to bless is an opportunity that should be seized. If the woman didn’t do what she did, another person would have done it, and that person would have been the reaper of her supposed harvest. Meanwhile, it is not the gift; but the spirit behind it, don’t wait for a convenient moment before you give.

 

Point of Emphasis: It is not the gift; it is the spirit behind the gift, go and do likewise. Don’t wait for a convenient moment before you give.

Prayer Point: Father, give me a large heart and a selfless spirit when it comes to giving in the name of Jesus.

Reading The Bible Through in a Year: Morning:  Rev. 7: 9-17; Evening: Ezek.10-12

 

 

BACKGROUND

Giving is a conscious forfeiture of all or part of your belongings. Giving is a spirituo-cultural factor. God demonstrated giving when He first gave man His breathe; later He gave His only begotten son, and through
        His son, He gave eternal life to whosoever believes. Not giving is a situation whereby you close your door of compassion against the needing individuals; unlike the apostles of old, many Christians today don’t give but we want to receive whereas the word of God says, “…It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), and generally, our lives are principled on “give and take”, This week’s lesson seek to encourage believers to give according to Bible principle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES ON THE LESSON

PART 1: FACTS RELATED TO GIVING THAT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD - PROV. 3:9-10; 11:24-25; DEUT. 8:18

Believers should understand that it is God that give us what we have; therefore, you should:

  Honour the Lord with your substance, He is the owner of all, and the greatest giver, a stingy person does not resemble God.

  Whosoever gives to the poor is lending unto the Lord.

  Know that God is your source, what you have now and you are hoarding belongs to the Lord; it is not yours, you are just a steward of your possessions.

  The Lord your God gives power to acquire wealth.

  Giving is a demonstration of love

  Giving is a sacrifice, sometimes very painful but highly rewarding.

  Giving is an attitude that should be imbibed; it is a quality that should be imitated and a spirit that should be encouraged.

  Giving is a habit propelled by a spirit; whenever there is a struggling within on the note of giving, you should bring such situations under control.

  The giver is neither mad nor gone out of his senses.

  The rich also cry; giving should therefore not be focused on the poor alone.

  The stingy person may think he is wise but he is only deceiving himself.

  The table can always turn against the rich and stingy individual.

  The giver should sow the right seed in order to have a good harvest (Deut. 15:21; Lev. 22:18-24) which should be a good seed or a perfect one.

  Your giving should be a sowing in the right kind of soil namely:

o   God the Father; your first fruit/your tithe regularly, punctually, accurately and reverently (Prov 11:24-25; 3 :9-10).

o   God’s work: give committedly, unreservedly and without grumbling.

o   God’s servants: give humbly and sincerely.

o   Widows and orphans: lovingly and compassionately (Jam. 1:27).

o   The poor and the needy: give without expecting anything in return.

 

 

 

PART 2:  WHY SOME OFFERING OR GIFTS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED - LEV. 22:18-24; DEUT. 15:21      

·    Some offerings/gifts may not be accepted because:

  they are given with wrong motives

  they are given grudgingly and the givers also like to blow the trumpets of their offering.

  they are given sparingly and unwillingly (after a lot of pleas).

  they are given to silence the priest; and in the course of time if such people commit any error, the priest that had been silenced will keep mute.

  the givers don’t give the amount that represent them either in tithe or offering.

  sometimes when we give, we want to monitor the outflow of funds as per the expenditures.

  the givers grumble and backbite the pastor or the finance committee after meeting any financial commitment, forgetting that the money is now God’s money. Those in charge of money should also take cognisance of the principle of accountability.

  the givers don’t have the understanding that God is the owner even before they earn the money, and that they are just custodians.

  the heart of the giver is not right with God, his offering may not be acceptable.

  the money is not clean. You can’t steal or dupe someone, sell your body;  make money rituals and then bring the money to the Church as an offering; it is not acceptable.

 

 

PART 3: ADVANTAGES OF GIVING – PROV. 3:9-10; 11:24-25

·    The giver will have more but the stingy will tend towards poverty.

  Givers never lack because God will always move others to do to them in a multiple dimension.

  Giving especially to the men of God will always be rewarded.

  Givers are more honourable and more accepted in the society than misers; a Yoruba proverb says, “A kìí l’ahun ká tún n’iyi”.

  Givers are loved, prayed for and wished well by so many people.

  Givers of tithe in the right percentage are free from devourers and God’s curse.

  Givers unconsciously build around themselves a host of well-wishers and prayer warriors.

  Giving whole-heartedly and cheerfully is honoured and preferred by God.

  Givers escape troublesome, dangerous and problematic moments.

  Givers easily enjoy unsolicited assistance in times of needs.

  Giving is a catalyst to answered prayers. (Cornelius, Tabitha etc).

  Giving invokes heartfelt prayers and blessings from the recipient (Phil. 4:17-19).

  Highly voluminous and heavy giving has always been recognised and highly rewarded by God. Moreover, their names are engraved in His record.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

God is happy with you when you give cheerfully, and without grudging. Giving is an attitude that should be imbibed. God will reward you greatly when you give to the men of God, the poor or less privileged in the society, unbelievers also do this. These are the fertile soil to plant your seed. Giving is a quality that should be imitated, and a spirit that should be encouraged. It shows that you resemble your heavenly father.

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS

1. Who is the greatest Giver, and what precious thing did He give?

2. A man made two great sacrifices unto the Lord. Who was he, and what did he give on the first and on the second occasions?

3. Somebody entertained strangers very generously, who was that, and what was the result?

4. Mention two facts about giving.

5. Mention one advantage of giving; support your answer with an illustration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

 

©2022  THE GOSPEL FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL DEVOTIONAL IS BY PASTOR (DR) E.O ABINA, THE GENERAL OVERSEER OF GOSPEL FAITH MISSION INTERNATIONAL (GOFAMINT) Worldwide.