THE DONKEY IN A PIT - THE ACT OF GIVING

Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again. Deuteronomy 22:4 KJV

Giving is the transfer of something or ownership of a good without the expectation of receiving something in return, sometimes it takes the form of generosity or charity. Giving is symbiotic, both the giver and the receiver benefit from the act of giving.

While it is a good thing to pray before you commit to give somebody something, I have seen people who out of blind generosity have funded rebellion or been a limitation to the progress of others by their giving, one wise man once said, it is better to teach people to fish than giving them fish always, it is equally important to pray over donations and gifts so that the receiver appropriates them to purpose.

In this scripture, the bible emphasizes the place of helping and not entirely carrying the burden single handedly. Once I had decided to sponsor my nephew in secondary school because the father was incapacitated, when I asked the young man to send me the school fees payment slip, he not only sent

it, but he also added a list of requirements, I rebuked him and told him to either look out for some sort of work to raise the UGX. 80,000 he wanted for books, pens, sugar, and soap or get to his parents, in no time, the parents figured out a way, the point was driven home, both the giver and the receiver were in some sort of partnership, working towards a common goal.

If you want love, learn to give the same to others, if you want to live a happy life, make the life of others full of happiness, if you want to be rich, enable others to become rich. That is how giving works.

However, as you practice generosity, take care not to disable your benefactors, instead offer them a helping hand as the Lord impresses it on your heart, otherwise they will keep seeking for help from you to no end. Some recipients of aid are entitled. I have worked in humanitarian spaces for a long time,

It is better to teach people to fish than giving them fish always.

As you practice generosity, take care not to disable your benefactors and I have witnessed beforehand people refusing to take care of a latrine or a water tap because they know some humanitarian organization will come and fix it, UN would come and help us, they would say. What kind of entitlement is that? Desist from it, child of God.

GOD’S GENERALS: WOULD YOU HAVE MADE THE LIST?

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. Luke 1:1-4 KJV

When Roberts Liardon authored, the “God’s Generals” around 1996, he attempted to recapture God’s glory with compelling spiritual biographies of some of the most powerful ministries to ever ignite the fires of revival. Simply he was bringing to our attention a term often used in Christian circles to refer to influential and charismatic Christian leaders and preachers who have had a significant impact on the Christian faith and its history.

Some of the names of the God’s Generals will sound through eternity.

• William J. Seymour (1870 –1922) was the son of ex-slave, who turned a tiny horse table on Azusa Street, Los Angeles, into an internationally famous center of revival.
• Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947) was known for his powerful healing ministry and dynamic preaching, and is considered one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
• Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) was a famous evangelist and founder of the Foursquare Church. She was known for her innovative use of media and her large tent revivals.
•  Kathryn Kuhlman (1907-1976) who was a healing evangelist known for her miracle services and for drawing large crowds. She had a significant influence on the Charismatic movement.
• Oral Roberts (1918-2009) a prominent televangelist, faith healer, and founder of Oral Roberts University. He played a pivotal role in the growth of the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements
• Benny Hinn (born 1952) a controversial televangelist known for his faith healing crusades and Prosperity Gospel teachings.
• Billy Graham (1918-2018) widely considered one of the most influential evangelists of the 20th century, with a worldwide ministry that spanned several decades.

God has weaved out remarkable stories of how the Gospel has taken route, these stories often have been drenched in the blood of these saints, some have carried the pangs of pain, some have been carried on the unenviable labors of saints, like Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 6:5 KJV, "In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;:" our ministration is not devoid of troubles.

This was the tale of the early preachers, apostles and ministers, or so you think? That which was will be, there is nothing new under the sun, the same things will happen in this and the next generation if Jesus would not have returned.

When you study, and looking at the testimony of the people around the Generals, some never held them in high esteem, some never considered them of repute, it is many years earlier that we consider them to be remarkable men and women of God after they had gone to be with the Lord.

Wherever you are serving, when the time comes? will you be considered a God's General or you are simply passing through the world quietly. Would you have made the list? If yes, congratulations, you probably have a glorious seat around the pearly gates, but if your answer is no? seek the Holy Spirit to assign you beyond the giftings.

 

TITHE 2: BLESSINGS OF NATIONS - THE STORY OF COLGATE

And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:12 KJV

William Colgate, the founder of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, was a devout Christian who believed in the principles of tithing and giving. Born into a humble family in England in 1783, Colgate grew up in a household where faith and frugality were valued. At the age of 16, he immigrated to the United States and began working as an apprentice to a soap maker in New York City. Through hard work and determination, he eventually established his own soap manufacturing business, which would later evolve into the multinational corporation known as Colgate-Palmolive.

It is impossible for you to be a tither and you don’t see a manifestation of God’s divine provision. As Colgate's business grew and prospered, so did his commitment to tithing.

Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, he remained faithful in his practice of giving back to God. He gave not merely one-tenth of the earnings of Colgate's soap products; but he gave two-tenths, then three-tenths, and finally five-tenths of all his income to the work of God, he once revealed that the origin of his devotion to the idea of tithing was when as a sixteen-year-old, he left home to find employment in New York City having previously worked in a soap manufacturing shop. When he told the captain of the canal boat upon which he was traveling that he planned to make soap in New York City the man gave him this advice: 

‘Someone will soon be the leading soap maker in New York. You can be that person. But you must never lose sight of the fact that the soap you make has been given to you by God. Honor Him by sharing what you earn. Begin by tithing all you receive.’ 

William Colgate felt the urge to tithe because he recognized that God was the giver of all that he possessed, not only of opportunity but even of the elements that were used in the manufacture of his products.

Today Colgate-Palmolive the company he founded is one of the leading manufacturers of household and personal care products in the world, with products in nearly two out of every three households in the world, No wonder, when we were younger, every toothpaste was a Colgate. 

Truth be told, 166 years after William Colgate’s death, his name is still sounding throughout the whole world, You can contest it but that is what it means when God says your name shall sound throughout the whole earth because you are blessed.

TITHE 1: THE DOOR TO FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH

In the ancient biblical narrative, there is a captivating account of Abraham's encounter with Melchizedek, the enigmatic king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. This story is a vivid picture of Abraham's act of giving a tithe to Melchizedek and the significance it holds. It is here that the word tithe is first mentioned in the bible.

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. Genesis 14:20 KJV.

But what is this tithe?

Almost all Christians on the face of the earth have at some point heard about tithe, some have been practicing it, and some have even ridiculed those doing it.

Once a non-believer blasted me for enriching a pastor every time I brought my tithe, it is one of the most uncomfortable things to speak about in poor communities yet one of the most significant principles God has put down for us to launch into financial prosperity, but what does tithing actually mean?

Tithe refers to the practice of giving a portion of one's income or possessions, typically a tenth (10%), to a religious institution or as an act of worship. The concept of tithing has a long history and is found in various religious traditions. The word derives from the Old English word “teogothian” which means "to give a tenth part".

In Christianity, tithing is often seen as a way to honor God, acknowledge His provision, and support the work of the church. It is considered a form of worship and an expression of faith, obedience, and gratitude.

The tithe is typically given to the church and is used to fund ministry activities, support the clergy, assist those in need, and maintain the church's operations. Ever since I learned this secret and the promises of God, my earnings have always been dynamic and progressive, literally I have been going up and never down, in fact, I am persuaded that as long as I stay true to these principles, I can never regress, after all, it is God’s word, “...let God be true, but every man a liar...” Romans 3:4.

God formally instituted tithing to draw the hearts of men to him and not their possessions as well as a means of support to the priests and Levites. 

I was introduced to the concept of tithing when I was young, my mother would painstakingly put away decima, a tenth part of what would be my income that she would allot to the clergy for their support, the only issue is that she would give less than what I had earned, the parishioners in her local catholic church had zeroed down on 3,000 Uganda shillings (eighty-one pennies) as annual decima collected usually at the end of the year.  Since then, I have been an ardent tither, in the days earlier, I used to tithe on my net earnings until I realized that God has blessed me on the gross and not on the net, progressively I have matured into tithing and as much as three years I have been tithing on the gross.

Tithing has been my quickest principle to obtain financial breakthrough, some of the most amazing promises of God touching prosperity are linked to tithing.

Will you today, take hold of God on the account of the integrity of his word?