SCRIP-BITS

2 Corinthians 9:6.    But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
 
Oh Friends, we’re in the midst of the Christmas season, the yearly celebration of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ’s birth. Wow! What a joyful occasion! Some two thousand years ago, God gave His only Son, Christ, to be our Redeemer… And all God’s people suddenly rose up and echoed a loud and thankful prayer to heaven. ‘Thank you Lord for sending your Son Jesus to be born in human flesh, to die and be resurrected on our behalf, so that we could be reconciled to you! We give you much thanks and praise for your generosity to us sinful sons of men! Amen.’ Now that’s what comes out of a heart of thanksgiving Friends! Anyway this season of Christmas is one of, if not the most joyous times on earth, where we celebrate with lights, feasts, gifts, good wishes and thanks, all in recognition of the greatest gift ever given; Jesus. Consequently, through Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection we now enjoy reconciliation with God the Father, as well as salvation and eternal life. And another powerful and heartfelt ‘Thank you Lord!’ rises up to heaven. Please remember that our God, though it no doubt ached His heart tremendously, willingly gave His Son so that we might be saved, for that was the only way out of eternity in Hades for us. It thus behoves us to have the same willing and generous Spirit of God, if we are believers in Christ. As Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in our Bit: ‘But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully (with blessings) shall reap also bountifully.’ Yes my friends, that’s the law of nature. If you only sow or give a little, then you’ll receive only a small harvest. However, if you sow or give generously, your harvests will also be plentiful. And be careful, for it’s not only how much you give, but also the attitude with which you give, as Bruh Paul declares in the verse after our Bit: ‘Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity (compulsion): for God LOVETH a cheerful (joyful) giver.’ (2 Cor.9:7) Yes my people, whatever God puts in our hearts to give, let’s give it with praise and thanksgiving, not grudgingly, or as though we’ve been compelled to give, for our God likes His children to be joyful and generous givers, just like He is. Remember all the new mercies and blessings He showers down on us daily. He does it with a willing and generous heart because He LOVES us so much. It’s the same way He wants us to give from a LOVING heart, not a begrudging one. And we can corroborate this by listening to Bruh Paul’s admonition to the Galatians. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.’ (Gal.6:7-8) And that’s an indisputable fact Friends! It’s not only how we sow, but also what we sow, that shall return to us. It’s just like a boomerang; you throw it out and eventually it comes right back to you. That’s just the way the Lord set up His universe. And none of this should come as a surprise to any of us, for we’ve all grown up hearing things like: ‘You’ve got to give to get… It is better to give than to receive.’ Now many of us despise clichés, but they did not become household sayings without some truth to them. So let’s end to day by checking out a couple more scriptures that deal with our topic. And we’ll begin with Psalm 112 – blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. The psalmist tells us that: ‘A good man showeth favour (is gracious) and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion (justice)…He hath dispersed (distributed), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour.’ (Ps.112:5,9) Awesome words of truth my brethren! And finally, listen to Cousin Sol’s divine wisdom: ‘He that hath a bountiful (generous) eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.’ (Prov.22:9) Ah Friends, such is the way of our great and generous God; the more you give from a right heart, the better will be your rewards, both here on earth and in heaven. So this Christmas season, let’s share joyfully with others, so that a good and proper reflection of God’s goodness to us will be seen by the world, and hopefully bring others to worship at His nail scarred feet. More on this tomorrow if we awaken to another day. Till then, let’s sincerely LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…generous giving is of God…