SACRIFICIAL GIVING FROM A GENEROUS HEART Part II - A MUST READ
34 Neither was any among them that lacked: for as many as a possessors of lands or houses sold them, AND BROUGHT THE PRICES OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SOLD,
35 And LAID THEM DOWN AT THE APOSTLES' FEET: and distribution was made to every man according as He has need.
Acts 4: 34 & 35
There is no where in the Bible that God or the Early Church has asked Christians to sell their lands and houses or all of their property and bring the proceeds as offering for redistribution to bridge the gap between the needy and those who are rich. But the early church who have lived and known what it is to be under The Law, willingly saw the need to GIVE IT ALL to the church. Notice they 'LAID THEM DOWN AT THE APOSTLES' FEET...' They did not give to a home or a philanthropic organization. Neither did they give directly to those who were in need. First and foremost Giving to the Apostles meant Giving to God. Secondly the fact that they saw the needy in church and were given the Grace of God to address their needs meant the knew them but gave their offerings to the Lord through the Apostles so that God would be seen in their act of LOVE. I remember Pastor Chris Oyakhilome said 'The Poor and Needy CANNOT be in the Church. They are out there in the world.' Hence the Inner City Missions to reach out to the Poor and Needy. I agree with him because how can the Poor and Needy be in the Body of Christ if the Rich in the Body of Christ gives Sacrificial Offerings to the Leadership of the Church and the Leadership found it expedient to address the needs of the needy and poor who hears our message of prosperity and gets born again in order to benefit from God's riches in glory in Christ Jesus. This is Rhetoric though; you may answer it.
If the Rich emulates the act of LOVE through Sacrificial Giving young pretty girls in the Body of Christ will not become victims to rich corrupt and promiscuous men both in church and in the world. The most pathetic is those in church who hide behind the principle, 'Grace abounds as Sin abounds' to defile young pretty girls and sometimes unguided married women. Think about this.
Now there is one exemplary Character mentioned in Acts Chapter 4, worth mentioning. Joses who was surnamed Barnabas by the Apostles sold his land and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles Feet. This is worth emulation. Why will a man sell his houses and lands and lay the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles? The expression '...Laid it at the Apostles Feet...' connotes the believe that they are giving to God. The Apostles are the representative of both the people to God and of God to the people. The congregants believe and acknowledges their pastor as the head and also it was because there was the Power of God present in the Body of Christ, which wrought the miraculous amongst the Early Church. Many were won into the Church hence people like Barnabas saw the need to GIVE IT ALL to support Kingdom Business. The Leadership of the Church in Contemporary Time has a responsibility to win the confidence and trust of those who have the Grace to Give. The early church givers did not query what their offerings were used for as they witnessed the signs themselves. What is the situation like today; Rhetoric. We must get to the level of Grace as was exhibited by the Early Church. We grow in Grace by the Measure of the intake of the WORD OF GOD: How much of the WORD OF GOD you have in you. You cannot pray to get this kind of Grace. It ONLY comes through the Study and Doing the WORD OF GOD.
The Bible has not left us in doubt as to the presence of pretenders in the fold of the Church since the birth of the Church in the Book of Acts. Chapter 5 of the Book of Acts talks about Ananais who with the connivance of his wife deceived the Church and Galatians 6:7 manifested. The WORD OF GOD has not changed neither has its potency. Watch your motive for flaunting your supposedly affluence in church in order to gain recognition and to deceive young pretty girls into immoral affairs.
To reiterate, NO one; not God or the Apostles asked the Church to sell their lands and houses and bring the proceeds as offering. So the offence of people like Ananais is their motive and deceit (Galatians 6:7). There are some who partner to be called and acknowledged. There are some who are always up walking to the front to give their Tithe to the Pastor as others watch them. Pastor cannot tell whether the amount you gave is 10% or more to represent your Tithe, but God knows. Read Acts 5:1-3. The Grace of Giving is from God. As you search The Scriptures you will grow in Grace and the Grace to Give. Don't be led by others or the awards and acknowledgment of others on social media platform for giving. Be led by the Holy Spirit through the WORD OF GOD to GIVE IT ALL to partner Kingdom Business.
Bro Ritchie Edukwesi WOANYA
