QUALITIES OF ACCEPTABLE GIVERS

EVERY WORD OF GOD FOR DAILY LIVING BY: 
PASTOR PAUL RIKA:
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR 
Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide

Date: Saturday March 20  

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 29:9-17
9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11 Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

KEY VERSE: Exodus 35:21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

In Exodus 25:1-8, we see how God through Moses made a call to those who desired His grace and glory among men to give willingly for the construction of the tabernacle and the materials of it. Christ-like givers of the Old Testament responded joyfully and gave joyfully and bountifully for the building of the tabernacle that the Lord might dwell among them for His glory and for the blessing of humanity. 

God still gives divine calling today to men and women who desire His glory, righteousness and holiness in the church and in human society around them to give of their money, material resources and service for His service and to support His faithful servants. Again, in today’s devotional text, David desired to build a temple for the worship of Jehovah God and he prepared various kinds of precious materials for the work. 

He motivated his people to give freely and willingly for the building of a magnificent temple unto the Lord their God. What looks remarkable here is the manner in which David and His people gave unto the Lord. There are many things to observe in this passage. But let us consider the manner in which these people gave unto the Lord:

i. They gave willingly: none felt coerced or cheated by what he gave.
ii. They gave with a perfect heart: they were in right relationship with God and their fellowmen.
iii. They gave joyfully, counting it a privilege to give to the Lord, being righteous and acceptable to Him.
iv. They gave humbly, acknowledging that what they were giving to God came from Him
v. They gave in praise to God for the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty of God: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is His.
vi. They gave purposefully, for the building of the magnificent temple of God.
vii. They gave in hope of eternal life with God, counting themselves strangers in this world.

This remains the qualities of acceptable givers before God. Those who desire to give for the course of God must endeavour to cultivate these qualities to make their service rewarding in time and in eternity.

Thought for the day: Give to God in a rewardable manner.

Song for the day: We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord….

Bible reading for the day: Joshua 1-3; Luke 1:57-80