“…Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze…and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments...”
-Exodus 35:4-5,21 NIV [italics & emphasis mine]
-Exodus 35:4-5,21 NIV [italics & emphasis mine]
I was once in an international conference where a famous international speaker (name withheld) urged people to give…those who pledged thousands were invited to the alter to shake his hand, those who pledged hundreds were invited to stand on the stairs to the alter (no hand shake), those who gave below hundreds were asked to stand just where they were. We were urged to give ‘our way out of poverty’, that God will bless us according to Luke 6:25…to me, this was nothing short of emotional and spiritual blackmail to poor innocent victims-witchcraft at its best!
I believe in giving as a seed for a specific harvest, I believe in giving as a response to love, I believe in giving to test God, I believe in giving as appreciation, I believe in giving to place a demand on God…but I also believe there are some of us who abuse our power and position to promote our agenda at the expense of ignorant and young babes in Christ. We deliberately omit the “willing part”, we see in the above scriptures God says only ask those who are willing. Beloved, let us not be duped in the current wind, the words of God says clearly, “…Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver…” 2 Cor 9:7 NIV.
copyright ©2008 Light to my path † † † by TJM Kyara
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