The Devotional – 1095 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

The Devotional – 1095 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

The offering (giving) of one’s own self is of first priority in the function of any project that comes our way. A project can be “general” or temporarily “designated” also it can be permanently awarded as an ongoing “mission”. Offerings of money should not be the first priority since the LORD Jesus Christ is our pattern for any individual or church to excel in giving. The offering of the LORD Jesus Christ; His sinless offering as the LAMB of God has taken away the sin of the world, this is an ongoing “complete and timeless” TRUTH that whoever believes in HIM will be saved (John 3:16 or Romans 10:8-13). Such a gift, we cannot understand until we believe in Jesus. The gospel is “good news” a blessing of God that excels beyond all gifts of humankind. And so it is in our frail attempt to give or offer; that until we offer our own self to any project, we resist all the blessings that are associated with the administration of any gift.

CHALLENGES & COMMENTS – 2 Corinthians 8:4-16

So shall we talk a bit about “riches” someone has recently said this. “Have you any change in your pocket”? For the majority of the citizens of the United States, they would say “yes, yes I do”. According to the person who made that statement who is “Rick Warren” that by the standards of the world outside of the U.S., you are rich. He stated that 78% of the world’s population do not have enough money to have “change” in their pocket.

Also he said, “Do you have a refrigerator in your home” and if you do that by that same 78% you are considered wealthy”. I once visited the country of Ukraine, I stayed in the Pastor’s home where it was obvious that wealth was not measured by the jingle of change in one’s pocket, or by the material objects within their household. In this home, wealth was visible by the love and diligence of each member of the family. What they may have lacked materially was restored a hundredfold by their willingness to give of themselves.

Now there is no way to understand the biblical principles of giving. In fact, many people here in the United States just throw money at various projects to get what they call “the hounds” off their back. They fail to realize “the hound” is always hungry for more. 2 Cor 8:12 says that there must be a willingness of mind to give and not one of compulsion. That it is acceptable to give according to what a person has and not what they do not have. Speaking of equality it is certainly understood that one could give more and another may less, yet both must be willing to offer equally of them self. Remember, Christ Jesus is that pattern, though He was rich, for our sakes He became poor.

The apostle uses part of a quotation from Exodus 16:18, I would like to state the whole passage: “So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s needs”. The point I wish to make is that in order to inherit the full blessing of giving, everyone must be willing to give. Not out of the abundance of selfishness, but out of the abundance of selflessness.