Archive | August 2015

The Preferred

Aug22

While rejuvenating my limbs and refreshing my skin, I begin to think about how people are often chosen first, chosen over someone else, to do a particular thing.  If the first choice doesn’t measure up (they don’t do expectedly well) then someone else, who was also experienced to BE chosen first, will BE called upon to do that same particular thing.  That someone else is often a last resort to ultimately get the job done.  You know, to make that particular thing a success.

I realized that way too frequently, the first is chosen BEcause they are preferred.  Perhaps they were the early birds, or they are preferred BEcause of who their parents are, or BEcause they donate generously, or BEcause someone told another to choose them over everyone else, or BEcause they were a great orator, or even BEcause they had great material gain.  However, being the preferred choice doesn’t unequivocally mean that you are the preferred – the most valuable, qualified, skilled, astute, etc.  SELAH!

There are many waiting to accomplish a particular thing, but you will not attain them.  They wait all the day long as a day turns into weeks, and weeks into months.  After months of seeing that your preference is not promising, you decide to take a second look at those quarts and zircons, topaz and garnets, and beryls that are sitting on the sidelines of your table.  These were overlooked BEcause you preferred the emeralds and rubies, sapphires and diamonds, and natural pearls, thinking they would serve sufficiently unto your success.  SELAH!

When considering people and your relationships with them, I encourage you to choose sagaciously.  As it is true, your preference, by whatever measure it is you have preferred, very well may not BE the most suitable for your soul and spirit, your business, your career, your education, your financial wealth, or your mind.

© 2015 Angela M. Smith

The Law of Giving

Aug5

Today, once again, I was considering the truth regarding The Law of Giving.  Admittedly, I can’t live without this principle as I fully love and enjoy giving.  Why?  Because I know the multiplied effects of unspeakable joy that it produces in the form of receiving.  And, tis receiving isn’t a one-way reception.  To mention, I fully love and enjoy receiving as well.  Second Corinthians 9, amongst many other holy directives, is an excellent teacher on the law of giving.  It directs us in a very methodical manner on how to give:

Verse 6:  Soweth sparingly reap also sparingly; soweth bountifully reap also bountifully

Verse 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

A week ago, I reviewed the power of the Archaic suffix, and Greek tense word, ‘eth.  Here we see it again in soweth, purposeth, and loveth; this meaning continual action of sowing and continual action of purpose.  SELAH!  Now, if for any reason (doubt, fear, skepticism, etc.) you think, believe, and feel that through your giving you are losing or that you might not receive, you are losing indeed.  As it is true, according to this law, those reasons (and others like them) will not ever bring a positive increase.  You can, of the sorts, become similar to the expression of Haggai 1:6 in that your giving was put into a bag with holes.  There is no return.  You are losing and have lost your ability to receive because you didn’t properly give.

The condition of the heart is very important when giving.  This is why Paul said we are to LET every man give according as he purposeth in his heart.  That meaning, LET him do it.  We shouldn’t coerce man to give.  The scriptures calls of us to LET him do it (give) according to the intent of his heart.  I’ve witnessed many people give their time, their resources, their expertise, their financial support, etc. all so grudgingly.  Why to you supposed people give in such manner?  I offer a few reasons why:

1.)  They’ve been repeatedly forced to give.

2.)  They’ve been told if they don’t sow a seed (monetary) they will not BE blessed.

3.)  They’ve been tricked and abused.

4.)  They’ve been giving to “takers” and not other givers (who are actually receivers), expecting a return from takers and that will never happen.

5.)  They’re selfish.

6.)  They’re hurting and often feel justified by not giving, willingly or forced

Although these are legitimate reasons for one reason or another, we should always BE compelled to give by compassion and courtesy, hugs and flowers, or prayers and considerations; by paying a bill for someone, filling up their gas tank, or buying their groceries.  If you see they need shoes, buy them.  If you see they need a place to live, help them get it; or a warm hug and encouragement, give it to them.  Although non-materialistic systems of giving are the most powerful, giving from a monetary perspective is also exceptionally helpful.

In some of our teachings of times past, it’s been implied that grudgingly only means reluctantly or unwilling.  However, in 2 Corinthians 9:7 this word means lupe loo’-pay ; sadness, grievous, heaviness, sorrow.  We are directed NOT to give under these conditions.  In that same verse, we are told not to give OF necessity.  This word (necessity) broke my attention because in the days not long ago, we were told to give out of our needs (something like that).  In my mind, I would think that they were saying to me, e.g., if you need your rent paid give out of that (take from that since you don’t have it all anyways).

Then, I thought they were saying if you want to get out of a situation, a bind, a ditch, unclean tendencies and propensities, we should give (sow) our way out because sowing has a law of reciprocity that will not fail.  And again, at times I don’t think people really understand what was meant.  Necessity, means anagke an-ang-kay’; constraint; implication, distress:–distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful.  We are guided to NOT to give under these conditions or give out of your needs.

Nevertheless, by a measure of faith, faithful people would faithfully give a portion of their allocated food money, mortgage money, car maintenance money, or insurance money, etc.  They’d double up on tithes and give 20%, and above that with their offerings.  They wouldn’t hold back sowing bountifully into the lives of others, their households, their businesses, their product, their education, their gifts and their talents.  By faith, they gave BEcause they BElieved they’d reap in the same way.

Then there is a cheerful giver.  Cheerful, as used in the scripture, is the opposite of grudgingly and of necessity.  It means hilaros hil-ar-os’; propitious or merry (“hilarious”), i.e. prompt or willing:–cheerful.   Propitious is a very powerful word for a cheerful giver.  SELAH!  Cheerful givers are lively givers they are not sad, heavy, and full of sorrow.  Thy don’t give for any other reason, to any person, organization, foundation, charity, event, project, or school, etc. other than the reason that God loveth a cheerful giver.  They know that giving, in the right manner, produces increased results of God’s favour.  And, they don’t give to be seen, noticed, applauded.  Their liveliness is not about their outward display of hyperactivity and acceptance.  Again, it is the condition (liveliness) of their heart purpose.

So then, knowing this truth and seeing how it effectively works in my life, I decree that:  I and my household will continue to cuddle with giving day-in and day-out.  We will continue to soweth bountifully and reap also bountifully.  We will continue to give according as we have purposeth in our heart.  We will BE cheerful givers, and will not give grudgingly OR of necessity.  As I have decreed, so it is.

Now, while I was sitting here making my decree, a lady walks up to me and asks if I wanted to go to the baseball game tonight because she had extra tickets.  Before I said yes, I begin to tell her about my evening last night.  It was 8:35 p.m. (16 love) and I was on my way home from picking up the lads that we (my sons and I) watch over at night.  When we got near the baseball park, I slowed downed and asked them if they had been to a baseball game yet.  Gazing at the park through the window, they said no!  I told them, “Well, we will have to make sure you get to go to one soon.  You will love it!”  Soon came in less than 24 hours later.  At 11:24 a.m. (8 new beginning) this morning, I received 6 tickets to the game.

The Law of Giving works.  We gave; we received.  We soweth bountifully; we reap bountifully.  I encourage you all to discover and grasp this nonstop free flowing action and response.  It will change everything concerning the lack in your life.  SELAH!

© 2015 Angela M. Smith