In this piece we will be considering, the call of giving in the kingdom. We are not looking at the kingdom of this world, we’re not looking at the kingdom of Satan, we’re not looking at the kingdom of darkness, but we're looking at the kingdom of Christ, we're looking at the kingdom of heaven, we're looking at the kingdom of God. So, what is the call? When we talk about call, oftentimes we want to misplace the word ‘call’ to mean that you have been called to a ministry. So, it looks as if some people are being called Kingdom financiers. So, there is a special calling to being called a kingdom financier. But the call we're talking about is a general calling. As long as you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, as long as you have come into being baptized into Christ Jesus, you have a call to this. And that's why it's crafted the call of giving in the kingdom, is a general call for each and every one of us.
And it's a call because it is commanded, it's a call because it is instructed, it's a call because it is a principle that God Himself as enshrined in our making, and in our adoption as sons in the kingdom. Our first consideration will be 2 Corinthians chapter 8:12 and we'll be going to others as the Holy Spirit leads us. 2 Corinthians chapter 8:12 “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have”. I want to quickly put these caveats out because it is important, we understand what giving is not, before we understand what giving is. Giving in the kingdom, there's a caveat so that the people of God and the church don't give or don't get into this frenzy of believing that giving in the kingdom is like a merchandise or a business, like a Ponzi scheme of some sorts that if you drop 100 Naira, after some days you will get 1000 Naira, that if you drop 1000 Naira, then after some days, you will get 10,000 Naira, it doesn't work like that.
That's why Apostle Paul was speaking about in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, that he was specifically addressing some issues in the church. And he got to this point when he started advising them, this was a counsel by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by Apostle Paul. He said, what if there is first a willing mind? He said, when you want to do it; when you want to give in the kingdom, it must first come from what? A willing mind. So, you are not cajoled to do it. In the kingdom, we don't give in compulsion, you don't give in the law, as if you are boxed to do it. He said first, if there is a willing mind, meaning that your mind must be transformed and that’s where we are starting from. As a believer, you should not be cajoled; now it's offering time, now, let us open our Bibles to Psalm chapter something and then something or Malachi chapter something, then you are now cajoled and the person that wants to take the offering starts talking and sharing testimony.
And after a lot of that, you are now compelled to give; there is a Scripture that says, there is no blessing, there is no reward for such a giving. So, he said for if there is first; so, the first condition is what? A willing mind and that willing mind will not just jump on you, that willing mind comes from the place of transformation of your mind, renewal of your mind, where you know, that what you are doing is that you are honoring God, it is not that somebody somewhere is looking at what you are doing and gives you an elevated status amongst the people. It is not that so that you will feel as if you have arrived, and they can give you a special seat in the midst of the people; No, he said first let there be a willing mind, and that willing mind is a mind that had been transformed. Why do you do what you do? That's why when Jesus was addressing issues in the New Covenant, He started speaking about the law and its application, how truly you can live your life not legalistic, but in grace.
He said in the ten (10) commandments, He said, don’t fornicate or commit adultery; right? Jesus said, this thing is more difficult in the new commandment. In the New Covenant, if you look at a woman lustfully is as though you have committed the act; so, which one is more grievous? Do not commit adultery, meaning don't be caught in the act. Jesus said adultery and fornication should not even be caught in your mind. So, which one is more grievous? The Law talks about the act itself, so it tells you do's and don'ts, but the New Covenant tells you to flee from all appearances of evil. The law says, flee from evil, don't even be found around evil, don't do evil; that's what the law is focused on. The New Covenant says flee from all appearances, don't even be tempted by it. Even if you are tempted by it, get it out of your system, immediately; He said because if you don't, your mind, whatever goes on in your mind because now grace is teaching us how to truly please God. That whatever happens in your mind is as though it as happened in your life.
So, giving starts from a willing mind, if you did not give it in your mind willingly, whatever act you do, is not backed up. So, God is looking at first; the heart, when men are looking at the outward appearance, God is looking at the heart. Do we understand the impact of what the Lord is saying to us? So, when you are giving, even though you are letting go of the thing in your hand, the Lord is asking first; have you let it go in your mind, He said let their first be a willing mind; let it go in your mind. That was the problem of Ananias and Saphira. They saw Barnabas, the son of encouragements, he sold his property and dropped it at the feet of the Apostle, he had a willing mind, they didn't have a willing mind, but wanted to copy; they saw how the church was excited. They saw how Barnabas was praised and they wanted it.
But was there a willing mind because He will ask if there was a willing mind, would they have kept a portion and they were asked, is this how much you sold it? And they said yes. Even though they were bringing something, Ananias died because you cannot mock God, God said to Samuel while men are busy looking at the outward appearance, how much, how heavy the envelope is, I God am looking at the heart, is there a willing mind? It all starts from there.
Whatever you give, even if it is your time because we're not talking about just money, the call to giving in the kingdom started with God. The first thing that God gave to the world, Genesis chapter 1:1, in the beginning, God created. God was the first in history to give. And He gave us an example of how to give. In the beginning God created, how did God create? God gave His time, God gave Himself. In John chapter 1, we came to understand in the Scripture, that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So, when God was creating things, God was giving a portion of Himself into making it. How did God make the heaven and earth? By the words He spoke, and the Bible says the Word was God, so how did God give? God gave a portion of Himself. Can you give yourself without a willing mind? And that's why when God looked at everything He created, the Bible says it was good, why? He gave of Himself and that's the pattern that God has set in the kingdom, it is better you don't give at all than to give without a willing mind.
So, the first point of call is if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted, it is good according to what one has; you cannot give what you don't have, you cannot go and take a loan and give, you cannot hurt another person to give. He said, not according to what he does not have; so, this is what giving is not, in the kingdom giving is not giving what you don't have. The Apostle said such as we have, when they appear to that man at the Beautiful Gate, they looked at him, they said silver and gold we do not have, we will not borrow for you but such us we have we give. So, when we talk about the call of giving in the kingdom, it is a lifestyle. You can do nothing in the kingdom without giving, Peter and John gave that man at the Beautiful Gate; Jesus. The power of Jesus, such as we have; we have something, such as we have we give; that man would not have been healed if there was no willing mind. So, it is not about money, such as we have. Do you have the promises of God? Do you have the wisdom of God? Do you have the power of God? If you give it, it will be accepted with a willing mind; such as we have.
2 Corinthians chapter 9:6-11 “By this I say he who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sow bountifully will also reap bountifully.” What is this? This is a principle, he says, he who sows, can you sow without giving? Sowing and giving are like words that you can use interchangeably. So, we can in that Scripture, replace it this way. But this I say, he who gives sparingly will also receive or reap sparingly, what is sparingly? If you give little, you will also collect little. But if you give bountifully, bountifully means you give from the abundance of what you have, because it's not about the quantity. Don't use the word bountifully to replace quantities, it is not about quantity, it is about the quality of what you give. If you give bountifully means that you give from the abundance of what you have, that's what the Bible is saying. If you give from the abundance of what you have, but if you give just a little of what you have, let me keep the rest.
If I tell him everything now, you will be wiser than me. He said you will also receive sparingly. But somebody comes for you for counsel, and you give it bountifully. Somebody comes to you for help, and you give it bountifully, the Bible says you will also receive it bountifully. So, verse seven; let each one give, you will see that he's talking about giving here, as he purposes in his heart. Apostle Paul is laying emphasis on this because this is the focus of the Lord; let each one give not as he is carjoled, compelled, but as has purposed because that is what will give the blessing to you, what you have purposed in your heart, if you give it and it is bountiful. And we will see what Jesus called bountiful, because when Jesus in Mark chapter 12:41–44, Jesus was observing something in the synagogue. Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury and many who were rich puts in much, did we see that? They put in much, how did he qualify them?
Those that were rich. They put in much, then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrant, so He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, there's a lesson here; come guys, I want to teach you something. Assuredly, I say to you, that this poor widow, as puts in, what? More, what is Jesus saying? This poor widow has given bountifully. This poor widow, what did she put? Two mites. And Jesus said, this widow, has puts in more than all those who have given to the treasury. What is the reason? Verse 44, for they all put in; out of their abundance sparingly, they could give more, but out of their abundance they gave sparingly, not bountifully. And He said, but, she out of her poverty puts in all that she had; her whole livelihood. So that we understand in the sight of Jesus, giving is not about percentage, it is about how you give. Do you give sparingly or bountifully?
In the kingdom, giving is not about percentage and I'm saying it with all sense of duty under God, in this kingdom giving is not percentage based. Giving is as a result of a willing heart and what you have purposed in your heart, and you are enjoined to purpose to give bountifully because there is a reward for it. Nobody will beat you or say you will not enter heaven because you give sparingly but your reward will be there. So, we see what Jesus called, giving bountifully. Jesus said the widow gave all her livelihood; two mites. So let's go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 9:7, So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, see the caveat, what giving is not; not grudgingly, after all we gave. It is not giving in the kingdom or of necessity; let me just pity them, let me just help them; and you give, He said that's not giving in the kingdom.
For God loves a cheerful giver, who is a cheerful giver? A cheerful giver is a giver that gives with a willing mind, we're coming back to that willing mind, because that's the crux of the conversation, a willing mind and God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you that have decided to sow bountifully and give cheerfully and bountifully, He said, He is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you in your decision as you have purposed in your heart; always having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance. You see that God does not want us to give sparingly, that you may have an abundance, so that you can give bountifully for every good work, as it is written, He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever. Verse 10, Now may He who supplies seed and I will want us to pause a bit here, a lot of conversation here. Now may He who supplies seed to the sower. So, Jesus is saying to us, God is saying to us that the two mites, that the widow gave, it was God that supplied it as a seed.
The abundance that the others gave, that they decided to take little from it to give, even the entire thing; it is God that supplies it as a seed. Now, may he who supply seed to the sower
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