Topic: A Glass of Water? [Tuesday 31, May 2016]
Memorise: For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. – Mark 9:41
Read: James 2:14-18 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 10-12, Ecclesiastes 1:1-5
MESSAGE:
The Bible has laid much emphasis on the art of giving, especially to God, the poor, widows, and our neighbours. Galatians 6:9 enjoins us not to be weary in doing good. One good thing we must not be tired of is sowing. To access your greatest financial harvest, continuous, consistent quality sowing is required. Your first seed may open the door to blessings, but keeping the door open requires persistent sowing. Are you already calling it quits with sowing just because you cannot quantify the returns of previous seeds? Don’t! You may be closing the door it took you so much effort to open! In the case of the widow of Zarephath, it took the sacrificial cake she gave on meeting Elijah the first day to open her door to abundance. If she had stopped at that, her miracle would have expired long before the end of the famine, but she did not. She kept the door permanently open by making cakes for Elijah daily for the entire period. Your first seed must have the backing of the other seeds if you will experience your ultimate financial breakthrough. Some people have pegged their blessing or limited the space through which their blessings come. James 2:14 says:
“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Another relevant example is King Solomon. His first notable seed was when he sacrificed 1000 cows (1 Kings 3:4-15). This opened the doors of wealth, wisdom, and honour to him. But he did not stop there. In fact, immediately he got up from his revelational dream, he responded to God’s answer by offering more. And he continued and increased his seed. In 1 Kings 8:63, he gave God an offering of 22,000 oxen. Solomon continued to increase in wealth because he sustained his giving. He became so prosperous that they lost count of his wealth. In fact, 1 King 10:24-27 says the whole world sought after the wisdom of Solomon and choice things as silver and cedar become common place in his kingdom.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” - James 2:14 He later concluded that “faith without works is dead.”
Do you know that like King Solomon, God can bless you to the point that the business idea He gives you could be sought after by the whole world? It is possible for what people consider as priceless treasures to become common place to you. But there is a price you must pay continuously. You must not stop sowing. The door the Lord has opened to you which you were already closing by refusing to sustain your seeds will be kept wide open from today. However, play your part. Like Solomon continue to increase your seeds.
Prayer point: Father, please make me a giver and use me to provide solutions to the problems of many in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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