Distributing to the Necessity of Saints • Deshen Daily

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality (Rom. 12:13 KJV)

The Lord instructs us to be willing to give to meet the personal needs of the saints. We are all accustomed to paying tithes, giving offerings to Church, sowing seeds to ministries and ministers but not many of us know or hear about the Lord’s desire for us to give and distribute our resources to meet the personal needs of our brothers and sisters.

I am a firm believer in giving, and you cannot be a student of the scriptures and not find the emphasis the Lord places on giving all over the scriptures. It is something close to the heart. However, as expected, the abuses and misuses of giving have escalated recently in the Church to such a degree that many are left dumbfounded and question the very foundations of giving. We must continue to give as the scripture instructs us to do and be careful not to fail prey to the manipulation, greed, and excesses that have infiltrated giving in God’s House.

Why do we not emphasize distributing to the necessity of the saints? There could be many reasons. One of the erroneous misconceptions I find in this aspect is that many of us are taught that Churches, ministries or ministers are “fertile grounds” for a better financial harvest. This is not true. If you cannot meet the need of a brother or sister you see by you, you will have a hard time convincing God that giving to that ministry or minister to “advance the kingdom” is a sign that you love Him. The greatest manifestation of your love for God will be tested by the love you show to the person next to you.

There are also some of us reading this devotional who can easily sow $1000.00 as a seed to some ministry or minister because we are looking for some breakthrough but giving $100.00 to a brother or sister beside us who does not have food to eat will be an almost impossible task. Be willing to meet the needs of the saints around you. That is an area that is also close to the Lord’s heart, contrary to what many people.

MEDITATE

When was the last time you put a smile on someone’s face by meeting their need? That might have been the last time you indeed demonstrated your true love for God.

APPLY THE WORD

The instruction is simple: distribute to the necessity of the saints. Meet the needs of the believer as much as you can. Also, be led of the Spirit so that you are not giving blindly because not everyone out there is honest. In any case, there are many genuine needs out there that the Lord is looking for people to use to meet them. Tell Him today you will be one of those He can count on.