GIVING
AND RECEIVING OF GIFTS
During this season of the year, there is
more giving and receiving of gifts than any other time of year. In fact, many stores would not earn a profit
if were not for the Christmas season. No
doubt, this season of the year has lost its religious significance, and centers
today around materialism. May God help
us to remember the reason for the season, and return to rejoicing in the birth
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
If we were to really think about the gifts
God has given to us, the season of Thanksgiving would only grow stronger during
Christmas. May we be different from the world. May we stop
going into debt buying things. May God
help us to give
to those who are needy and stop the tradition of “exchanging” gifts.
GIFTS
FROM GOD
1.
James 1:17- Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom
is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
2.
James 1:5- If any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
3.
Ecclesiastes 2:26- For God giveth
to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to
the sinner he giveth travail, to
gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
4.
Isaiah 50:4- The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I
should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth
mine ear to hear as the learned
5.
Isaiah 56:4,5- For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take
hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my
walls a
place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give
them an
everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6.
Jeremiah 24:7- And I will give them an heart to know me, that I
am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall
return unto me with their whole heart.
7.
Matthew 25:15- And unto one he gave five talents, to
another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability;
and straightway took his journey.
8.
Luke 11:9- And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given
you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you.
9.
Luke 11:13- If ye then, being evil, know how to
give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him?
10. Ezekiel
11:19- And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within
you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
11. Matthew
11:28- Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest.
12. John
3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
13. John 4:10- Jesus answered and
said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and
who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
14. John
10:28- And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
15. Romans
6:23- For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
16. Romans
8:32- He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?.
17. Revelation
2:10- Fear none of those things which thou shalt
suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and
I will give thee a crown of life.
18. Genesis
1:29- And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is
upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a
tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
19. Genesis
9:3- Every
moving thing that liveth shall be meat for
you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
20. Deuteronomy
8:18- But thou shalt
remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth
thee power
to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
21. Deuteronomy
11:14- That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season,
the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest
gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
22. Psalm
127:2- It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of
sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
23. Psalm
136:25- Who giveth food to all flesh: for his
mercy endureth for ever.
24.II Corinthians 9:15- Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
24. Ephesians
2:8- For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
US GIVING TO GOD
1.
Malachi 3:10- Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that
there may be meat in mine house, and
prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I
will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that
there shall not be room enough to receive it.
2.
Matthew 23:23- Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law,
judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the
other undone.
3.
I Corinthians 16:2- Upon the
first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
4.
II Corinthians 9:7- Every man according as
he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a
cheerful giver.
5.
Proverbs 3:9- Honour the
LORD with thy substance, and
with the firstfruits of all thine
increase:
6.
I Chronicles 29:9-Then the people rejoiced, for that
they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the
LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
7.
Genesis 28:22- And this stone, which I have set for
a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt
give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
8.
Leviticus 27:30- And all the tithe of the
land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
9. Matthew
2:11- And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with
Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened
their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
10.
Matthew 5:23,24- Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and
there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against
thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift.
11. Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in
praising and giving
thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great
shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the
LORD was laid.
12. Ephesians
5:20-20: Giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ;
13. Col.
1:12- Giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
14.
15.
Hebrews 13:15- By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16.Matthew 25:34-40- Then shall the King say unto them on his
right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
from the
foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred,
and ye gave me
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave
me drink: I was a
stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and
ye visited me: I was in prison,
and ye came unto
me.
Then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred,
and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee
in? or naked, and clothed
thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and
came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
these my
brethren, ye have
done it unto me.
US GIVING TO EACH OTHER
When we
think about giving to others, one of the first things we need to do is review
some important principles God gives us about giving which is pleasing in His
sight.
1.
In simplicity-Romans 12:8- Or he that exhorteth,
on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with
simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
2.
Without show-Matthew 6:1- Take heed that ye do not your alms
before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which
is in heaven. 2: Therefore when thou doest thine
alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say
unto you, They have their reward. 3: But when thou
doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
3.
Freely-Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again.
4.
Willingly-II Corinthians 8:12 For if there
be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not
according to that he hath not.
5.
Cheerfully-II Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
6.
According to ability-Acts 11:29,30 Then the
disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto
the brethren which dwelt in
7.
God blesses those who give in the right way-Matthew
25:34-40
Giving to the Poor
1. Matthew 19:21 Jesus
said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell
that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
2. Luke 11:41 But
rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean
unto you
3. Isaiah 58:6-11 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands
of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and
that ye break every yoke? 7: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and
that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide
not thyself from thine own flesh? 8: Then shall thy
light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the
glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward9: Then shalt
thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry,
and he shall say, Here I am. If thou
take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and
speaking vanity; 10: And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy
the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be
as the noonday: 11: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy
soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt
be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
4. Acts 20: 35: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring
ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
5. Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry
himself, but shall not be heard.
6. Proverbs 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink:
7. Proverbs 28:27 He that giveth
unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his
eyes shall have many a curse.