GIVING FOR KINGDOM PROJECTS

1 Chronicles 29:16-17 (AMPC)
“16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build You a house for Your Holy Name and the token of Your presence comes from Your hand, and is all Your own.

17 I know also, my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here offer voluntarily and freely to You.

Dear people of God, I will encourage to read the entire Holy Bible Chapter of 1 Chronicles 29 to appreciate today’s message.

The extract of verses 16 & 17 above is the prayer David, Israel’s second earthly king prayed to God when he and his people offered freely and willingly to God for the proposed construction of the temple in Jerusalem.

I want you to take note that even though David had wanted to construct the temple himself, God told him through the prophet Nathan Gad that he could not because he was a man of war and had soiled his hand with a lot of bloodshed -  1 Chronicles 28:3; 2 Samuel 7:2-5).

But God granted permission for David’s son, his successor Solomon to build the temple.

In spite of this, David still went ahead to make provision for the materials for the construction job that his son Solomon would handle.

David also encouraged the Israelites as recorded in 1 Chronicles 29 to partake in contributing freely and willingly to the project.

Let us see what is written in 1 Chronicles 29:9, “Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also rejoiced greatly.”

The people rejoiced to give to God’s project with a whole and blameless heart and the king David also rejoiced greatly.

Dear friend, it is for actions such as this that the Lord God called David a man after His (God’s) heart – 1 Samuel 13:14.

David in his prayer to God made it clear that even what he and the people were giving for the temple construction project belonged to God Who owns the heavens and the earth.

It is on this premise I write to state that it is rather surprising to see ignorant folks today, even amongst Christians, struggling to give to Kingdom projects and some even grumbling when they do so.

I want you to note as matter of seriousness today that even though God Almighty and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ owns the entire universe including the resources you have in your bank account and anywhere else, He (God) will never force you to give Him pertaining to any Kingdom project.

As it is written in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “ [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.

7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]. [Prov. 22:9.]

This is why you must ALWAYS give when called upon to contribute to a Kingdom project, e.g. a church building project or mission work both local and foreign. You must also pay tithes to your local church assembly, give offerings and help the poor and needy.

Now, notice what is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 29:20, “And David said to all the assembly, now adore (praise and thank) the Lord your God! And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and did obeisance to the Lord and to the king [as His earthly representative].”

The king David instructed the people to thank God even for the opportunity to give and they went ahead to praise and worship the God of the Universe Who made all this possible.

We must always give thanks to God even for the opportunity to give to Kingdom projects so He can bless us with more resources to do more.

Do not make the mistake of grumbling even when you don’t have to give to God’s work. But no matter how little you have, make sure you contribute from your lack to God’s work of Evangelism in these last days.

If you fail to do this, you are only denying yourself a blessing from God. As a Christian, this is the sure way to get out of poverty and lack into the enormous wealth Christ has given us by virtue of being His children and therefore seed of Abraham, whom He promised to bless and multiply with his seed forever – Galatians 3:29.

The choice is yours, dear friend.

One final advice. Please ensure that the resources you contribute to God’s projects here on earth are not righteous labours – legitimate work or business and NOT from illegal or abominable acts that are offensive to God like armed robbery, prostitution, hotels and casinos, sales of alcohol and cigarettes, pornography, fraud, narcotics, gambling, etc.

It is written in Proverbs 15:8-9, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight! [Isa. 1:11; Jer. 6:20; Amos 5:22.]

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination, extremely disgusting and shamefully vile to the Lord, but He loves him who pursues righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).”

May the good Lord bless and prosper you as you obey His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Most Righteous Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.

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