(Fifth part)
Memory verse: (Hebrews11: 4) " By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks "
Giving is the very nature of God. He is the perfect example of giving. God loved the world so much that HE gave his best, i.e. His only begotten Son so that we may obtain eternal life, peace with God and joy. (Jn3: 16). God created the earth and every wonderful things and gave the earth over to the sons of men. Paul said that all we have God has given to us. John the Baptist said that there is nothing we can receive except that which comes from above. The whole Bible and covenants are about what good, great and precious promises that God has given us. In fact, Peter put it this way that, God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet1:3-4).
The new creation, i.e. the believers, we have the new nature of our heavenly Father through Christ. We have the Spirit of our Father, i.e. we are givers. Paul said: it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts20: 35). Jesus commanded us: freely we have received, and freely we should give. Again Jesus teaches us: give and it shall be given to us (Lk6: 38). Abel is recorded as the first man on earth to do an act that touched God’s heart. And that act was the act of giving; His giving touched and moved God’s heart. God himself testified of the gift of Abel. And Abel is still speaking today. His name has been mentioned through all the nations of the earth from his time to this day, mentioning about his giving. Men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Solomon, David etc were great givers whose giving touched the heart of God. The bible teaches that, where your treasures are, your heart is. The location of your treasures determines the location of your heart. Whatever you don’t give to God becomes your god. When your treasures are in God, then your heart is in God. Wherever your heart is that where your treasures will go. When your heart is worldly or fleshly, then all your treasures will be spent on gratifying your worldly and fleshly lusts (Jam4: 1-4). When you are a worldly or fleshly believer, money and material things control you, but when you are a spiritual believer, God control your money.
Tomorrow’s subject: “ Touching God through Obedience”
