Giving is God’s Way
The partnership letter for June 2017
Dear Partner, I am so glad to have the opportunity to write to you. I want to first of all, take this opportunity to thank you and your family for being so diligent and prompt in your giving unto the Lord’s work. You have sown your Tithes and Offerings, Pledges, Building funds, Priestly offerings etc. and now that you have sown seed on the ground, it has no alternate but to break forth and yield a total Blessing in your life. This Blessing comes in many forms, but more than that, it can come into your hands in a way different to what you have anticipated.
Firstly, thank you for being obedient to the Lord and secondly for being committed whole heartedly to the local vision of our church, Rhema Family Church, Durban. This is your spiritual home and as you sow, demand your breakthroughs and the things the devil is trying to keep away from you. You certainly have our agreement in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
This month I would like to share with you on the subject of: Giving is God’s Way
My Scripture reference is as follows: John 6:5-9 AMP “Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat?
6 But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do. 7 Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennies’ (forty dollars) worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little. 8 another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 there is a little boy here, who has [with him] five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?”
Occasionally, well-meaning people have approached me with schemes to raise money for the church. I have never felt comfortable about any of these. I must admit, though, that I felt somewhat tempted. The raising of finances in church life is a continual burden on the leader. If there were some other way to accumulate wealth, it might make life easier, but my conviction has always been that giving is God's Way.
Some churches have bought into multilevel marketing businesses. These can be a great source of income for those who invest. However, when Pastors and Congregations get involved in these activities as a church fundraising strategy, relationships between the Pastors and their congregations, and between the members of the congregations themselves, can quite easily become confused- “Why are they suddenly so interested in me?” Then, when the business proposition is announced, people become cynical and feel exploited, and relationships are compromised.
But it is giving that is God's Way, not business marketing. The members of the congregation are called to go out into the world, generate finances, and bring their offerings into church. In other words, they are called simply to give. In John 6, when Jesus asked His disciples how they were going to feed the multitude before them, they were dumbfounded. They had no idea. Yet a young boy gave what he had. It may seem like a very small gift in comparison to the size of the need. However, what is given into God's hands can become abundance through His Supernatural Power.
The disciples were no doubt feeling completely embarrassed as they began to hand out the one twelfth portion of a sardine and bread bun they each had. There were five thousand men in front of them! If each man had a wife and three children, that made a total of twenty-five thousand people to feed.
Thomas probably got the tail end of a fish and a small crust. With two thousand people in front of him, I can imagine him holding his back and telling the people to take as little as they could. However, they tug and pull and yank. He's too afraid to look. He gets to the end of the row and finds he's now holding a snapper and a French roll. He goes down the next row and finishes with a barracuda and an Italian loaf. By the end of the last row, people can't eat the swordfish he's dragging behind him-much less get through the pile of bread in his arms!
Through simple acts of giving, that meal multiplied. The boy gave, Jesus gave, the disciples gave, and in the end there were twelve baskets left over! One basket for each disciple? Twelve baskets for the boy to take home to surprise his mum with? Whoever got those extra baskets of miracle meals, it was a great abundance.
May God continue to richly bless you and your family. We pray for you daily and take pleasure in seeing you enjoy God’s Blessings that make Rich and adds No Sorrow in Jesus Name, Amen.
We love you very much and are constantly praying for your Progress, Success and Promotion.Dr. Roshan and Pastor Zubeda Sing.