Offerings and self-examination

Aside

RCCG Open Heaven Devotion 2012 – Pastor E. A. Adeboye (ISBN: 978-36079-4-4)
Download Open Heaven – iOpenHeaven , www.m.openheavensportal.net
(Previously available online @: http://www.rccgna.org/Resources/BibleStudy/Devotionals.aspx)
Monday 15 October
Bible in one year
Psalms 73-75
OFFERING’S & SELF -EXAMINATION

Memorise:Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:24
Read: Matthew 5:23-24
Before giving to God, make yourself acceptable first. If your person is not accepted of God neither will your offering be acceptable to Him. Not only must your ways be right with God before giving to Him, they must equally be right with your fellow man. You are blessed when you give to God and He accepts it. It is a great privilege. If God is presently pleased with you but somebody else holds a grudge against you, you have scaled through God’s test but your gift will not be accepted. One reason God placed this as a criteria for receiving your offering is so that your heart will be free towards God and men. Hence Paul says in Acts 24:16:
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
This is not limited to your offerings but also your sacrifice and service in the Kingdom. If you serve God with sin in your life, your service will be unacceptable. Even if you were to make the greatest sacrifice to God, for instance giving yourself to be burnt for the sake of the Gospel and you are yet living in secret sin, you would have killed yourself for nothing.
In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel said to Saul:
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
If you disregard any of God’s instructions and think you can bribe Him with a big offering or sacrifice, better get some shock absorbers ready. God wants you to have His best hence Jesus says whenever you bring your gift before God, examine yourself to find out if there is some malice, anger, bitterness or an unforgiving spirit somewhere, capable of eroding your gains from that offering. If there is, keep your offering safe, go and meet that brother and say: “Bro, you are so important that without you my offering will be a waste. Please forgive me for what I have done wrong” or “I forgive you for what you have done to me.” Embrace each other and come and offer your gift or offering.
KEY POINT:
If you use God’s Word as yardstick for measuring the quality of your service, gifts and offerings, you can tell which ones will be relevant in Heaven.

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Open Heavens: Hunted or Love

RCCG Open Heaven Devotion 2012 – Pastor E. A. Adeboye (ISBN: 978-36079-4-4)
Download Open Heaven – iOpenHeaven
(Previously available online @: http://www.rccgna.org/Resources/BibleStudy/Devotionals.aspx)

Sunday 14 October
Bible in one year
Revelation 19-22
HUNTED OR LOVE?
MV: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Psalms 42:1
Read: Psalms 42:1-5
In today’s Bible reading, the Psalmist speaking of his yearning for God said his soul pants. He compares his yearning for God to the extreme yearning of a dehydrated deer for water shown by its panting. We know the hart or deer does not pant except when it is being chased by a hunter or when it is highly dehydrated. Do you know that for many people, it is only when they are being hunted by the devil or situations of life that they remember God? When everything else is in place: the store is filled with rich varieties of food, the bank account is bubbling, the contracts are coming, the family members are well and making progress and the ministry is moving on; the need to search for God never arises in the hearts of many. But when there is trouble: child is sick, there is no food to eat, the business is experiencing dryness and there are several challenges in the ministry; then suddenly the one at the receiving end would remember that he or she has a God. If you seek God only when you are hunted, you are a God-user and not a God-lover.
You can be sure God knows the difference and He will deal with His seekers accordingly.
It is possible to pursue God, not because you are in trouble but because you love Him. Anything can happen when you are in love. Song of Solomon 2:5 says it is even possible to become sick because of love. If you have intense love for God, you will go to any length for Him. God has created us to be capable of loving one another, particularly Him. If you find it difficult to truly love God, it is because something else or someone else has stolen your love. Material things have stolen the hearts of many people from God. If you have lost your first love – the original quality of love you once expressed towards Him when you first knew the Lord – then ask Him to help you recover it. Are you panting after God because you are hunted or because of love? If love drives you to God, love will drive Him to you. He will give Himself to you without reservation.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, let your love be shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost.

NB: Copyright is a benefit to society. It’s not just about financial gain.
One of the chief purposes of copyright law is to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of the text.
Please learn more about the subject by referring to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorized_King_James_Version#Copyright_status