Photo: Nikola Jovanovic on Unsplash
In Nigeria, it is colloquial when we say in Pidgin English, ‘My pepper don rest.’ A person’s ‘pepper’ comes to rest when he comes into some money that brings him financial and material comfort, especially after a period of financial struggle. The word ‘pepper’ used this way means money or financial comfort.
God gives us the power to get wealth, build it, enjoy it and give to others. In His economy, true and sustained financial wealth is ‘grown,’ not ‘fallen’ into. If you will permit me, your ‘pepper’ is not supposed to rest. It is supposed to grow steadily and surely, using investment principles which the word of God teaches. (Deut 8:18).
‘But did Jesus not die so that we will become rich?’ No, He did not! Jesus did not die for anybody to become rich financially or materially comfortable. He does not need to die for you to be rich.
It is God’s will for His people to prosper, and there are biblical and natural principles which, when applied, can make anyone financially settled, be he a believer or not. Still, it is God’s passion to distinguish His people from the rest of the world in all ramifications.
Abraham (he had great wealth before he even gave Melchizedek the tithe), Isaac and Jacob, King Solomon, and so on, were stupendously wealthy before Jesus died.
You even have neighbours who do not give a hoot about God but are richer (albeit legitimately) than everybody in some churches put together, and you want to preach prosperity to them? Think again, the man’s soul is on a fast track to a Christ-less eternity, and all you are interested in is to get riches as he has.
He has read you like a book and despises the very ground you walk on. As far as he is concerned, you are a hypocrite coming after his money using God’s name.
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ were for one thing:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life -John 3:16.
So what is eternal life, jeeps, mansions and fat bank accounts? Not so!
And this is eternal life that they might know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent -John 17:3.
But the Bible said that He came to give us abundant life.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly -John 10:10.
The Greek word for life here is Zoe (same as in John 3:16), which means the life that God is and the word for abundantly is perissos.
Perissos is an adjective. Used in this passage, it is describing the “life.” It means “fullness of life”, or “life to the full”, a life that is preeminent or superior. It is of quality, not quantity, of being not of a status.
Zoe is the life that God is and that only He can give. And He has given us His life without measure. The life is full, complete and lacking in nothing; there is nothing you can add to it. Money cannot buy it or improve upon it.
Zoe, the life of God, is not financial and material abundance. Otherwise, it would be subject to loss and decay like money and material things are subject. Zoe, the life of God, is not subject to loss and decay.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal -Matthew 6:20.
It was Jesus who asked this fundamental question which we will all do well to remind ourselves often:
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? -Mark 8:36.
Having said that, as believers, we must develop a giving heart, that is, a spirit of giving. Make sure you are always giving, no matter how little or how much; make sure you are a giver and a generous, heartfelt one at that.
Give your life, give your time; give your talent and skill, give your money and material things and give with your heart. Give to God, give to people and give with love.
Generous living is a sure way to destroy the spirit of selfishness and self-focus and to break the influence of Mammon, the god of riches, over your life. Your god is not your belly!
Remember that before the Lord, giving is about your heart and not about the money. Your heart and your hands must connect. It will distinguish you and get God’s attention.
Living generously has its source in the heart and not from the hands. At the centre of your giving must be love for God and love for people. God is love. To be loveless is to be godless. Loveless giving and receiving is godless giving and receiving. (Matt. 5: 42-48; 6:1-4; Lk. 6:33-36).
Please permit me to summarise thus: As true Christians, we give and receive without a spirit of covetousness. We are constant, consistent, cheerful givers who give to, reverence, honour and appreciate our loving Father whom we cherish; the Eternal Creator and Possessor of heaven and earth, even the only Living God.
That is to say, giving is part and parcel of our heartfelt, reasonable and intelligent worship of God. Our giving and receiving is a trust for the glory of His Kingdom on earth.
He gave His life for us, and He gives us richly all things to enjoy, and He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. (1 Tim. 6:17; 2 Pet. 1:3).
In our giving, we demonstrate that He is the source of our wellbeing; that we trust in Him and not in our money or goods; that all that we are and all that we have are from Him; that we belong, not to our goods, but we belong to Him who has entrusted us with co-ownership and stewardship.
When we give, we demonstrate, practically, that we are not slaves to money and material things, but we are heirs-of-God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
We realize that this co-ownership is a partnership to which He has invited us into, to replenish the earth with new life, increased wealth, beauty and glory, upon which He has placed us as inheritors, and upon the template that, “as long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest.”
Indeed, we give to demonstrate that He is the One who has made us and makes us and not we ourselves, and brings forth fruitfulness in our work or labour; we show that we are not self-made but God-made.
Our giving is of grace through faith, demonstrating that we believe all He has said concerning our lives, our resources, and our giving and receiving. (Acts 20:35; Eph. 4:28; Phil. 4:14-19).
Yes, we give to imitate our Father, who is the greatest giver of all and a blessing to all; that we like Him, will be a blessing to others, thus in our giving character, we manifest the nature of our Father. (Eph. 5:1-2; Matt. 5:43-48).
In all of this, it is that, through giving and receiving, He, as our Father-God, might receive honour, glory and thanksgiving. This is the spirit of true Christian giving and receiving.
Again, this blog has been the concluding part of the series, Living Generously. I have extracted most of the material from my book Criminals Behind the Pulpit: Exposing False Ministry and Unveiling True Ministry in the Church, a book for serious-minded believers who want to deepen their relationship with the Lord and avoid deception from charlatans in the Church.
Until my next blog, do not forget to keep living, loving and learning. Thank you.
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