ACCEPTABLE OFFERING

Text: Deut. 16:17, Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:8

Acceptable offering is something given or presented that is pleasing and satisfactory to the receiver. In the secular world, gifts are offered and pleasantries are exchanged for many reasons either to appreciate one another or to express gratitude. Likewise in the non-secular world, gifts and offerings are being given.

God expects us to give offerings and He says in Malachi 3:8, "But you ask, How are we to return? Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, How do we rob you?" In tithes and offerings." The offering God is referring to here is whatever you give apart from your tithe which is ten percent of your income or earnings. God gave us an example of what an offering should be. He gave humanity His only Son; Jesus Christ as an offering and that was His best and His all. Therefore acceptable offering will be our best, the one that is pleasing and satisfactory to God.

The Bible says in Romans.12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your Spiritual act of worship." The first thing to offer to God is yourself. Other offerings can be in form of Praise, Worship, Thanksgiving and various substances.

Praise as an offering: Praise is acknowledging the acts of God's wonderful deeds. It is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us. We praise Him by singing, joyful noise, clapping, dancing and with musical instruments. When we do that, He is very pleased with us and He inhabits our praises and move on our behalf. In Acts 16:22-26, when Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they woke up in the midnight to praise the Lord by praying and singing hymns. God accepted their praises and moved on their behalf by allowing an earthquake to shake the foundations of the prison. He opened the prison doors and set them free from the chains in which they were bound. Also in Chronicles.20:21-23, when three nations rose against King Jehoshaphat, he appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him. As they began to sing and praise, the Lord accepted their praises and in return set ambushes against the men of the three nations. They destroyed one another there by giving Jehoshaphat victory over them.

Worship as an acceptable offering: It is the art of losing self in the adoration of God. Humbling ourselves before Him and adoring Him for who He is and extolling His virtues. It is an attitude in the heart and an act of profound appreciation of the re-eminence of the Lord. In John 4:23,"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." When we worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth our attention is shifted from earthly things to heavenly things, recounting His many deeds in the past and present and His attribute. God is pleased with us and He accepts our worship.

Thanksgiving as an acceptable offering: This is an act of showing gratitude in humility, appreciating God and returning all glory to Him in all circumstances. The Bible says in 1 Thess.5:8, "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus". Jesus accepted the heart of gratitude of the only Leper out of ten who came back to thank Him. In return his healing was total as recorded in Luke 17:11-19.

Our Substance as an offering: The wealth, assets or the resources we have is our substance. The Bible says in Deut.8:18, "But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth”. Out of the abundance the Lord has given us, we should give back to support His work apart from the tithe we pay. Such offering must be commensurate to how God is blessing us. For our offering to be acceptable, every man shall give cheerfully and joyfully as he is able according to the blessings received from God.

Also your talent and time can be offered to promote God's work. Freewill offering can be given to promote the gospel through evangelism and missions. Sharing with others, especially the poor, needy and widows are all pleasing and acceptable to God.

Let us consider some characters in the scripture in relation to their offerings: Abel, Abraham, Hannah, Solomon and the Widow.

Abel's offering: Gen 4:3-7
Abel was the junior brother of Cain and also the son of Adam and Eve. The Bible tells us that Cain brought an offering to the Lord and Abel also brought an offering to the Lord. This was the fat portions from some of the first born of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favour. It means that when bringing an offering we must bring our best that is satisfactory and acceptable to God. We must always ask ourselves "Are we giving of our best?" God owns everything and He is the one that enables us to have all that we have. He knows every one's capability. Cain was downcast and angry when he was told that his offering was not acceptable. However, Abel's offering was acceptable and God looked unto him with favour. Your offering can open doors of favour to you.

Abraham's offering: Gen 22:1-18
God tested Abraham by asking him to go and offer his son Isaac whom he loved, Abraham obeyed. As Abraham was about to slay Isaac, an angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven saying lay not t a hand on the boy. Verse 12 says, "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." God provided a ram instead and Abraham sacrificed it as a burnt offering. God acknowledged the acceptance of Abraham's intention to offer Isaac and pronounced blessings on him as in Gen 22:15-18. Your acceptable offering can open doors to unlimited blessings. God said in Gen.22:16-17, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, "I will surely bless you."

Hannah's offering: 1 Sam.1:5-28
God eventually remembered Hannah and had favour on her after a period of waiting by providing her a son named Samuel. She made up her mind to present him to the Lord after the weaning period. The Bible says in 1 Sam.1:24, "After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh." Verses 27-28 says, "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord."
Hannah offered her all-Samuel. God accepted Samuel and blessed Hannah with many more Children as confirmed in 1 Sam.2:21. When God accepts your offering He blesses you in many folds.

Solomon's offering: 1 Kings 3:4-15
The Bible says in 1 Kings 3:4-5, "And Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream and God said "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." This was evidence that God was pleased with Solomon's offering and He had accepted it. God was so impressed that He appeared to him and asked him to ask for whatever he wanted.
Your offering can affect your destiny, make a way for you and can open doors of blessings unto you. Let your offering be proportional to the blessing you are receiving. Have the right attitude towards offering. Remember always that all you have is provided for you by the great provider; Jehovah Jireh and that you are just the custodian.

The Widow's offering: Luke.21:1-4
As Jesus looked up he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury and also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. Jesus remarked that the widow has put in more than the others because out of her poverty she put in all she had to live on while the other people gave their gifts out of their wealth.

Brethren, whatever you give is noted in heaven. It is not how much you offer that matters but the proportion of it to what you have and your attitude towards the offering are what God will consider
before He accepts.

Conditions for acceptable offering:

• Your source of wealth must be godly
• You must have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ-Col.3:17, Ephesian 6:7
• You must have a willing heart and be ready to give willingly and cheerfully. 2 Cor 8:12 and 9:7
• Your ways must be pleasing to Him. Prov.16:7
• You must be at peace with brethren and be reconciled in case you have something against your brethren before bringing an offering to the altar Matthew.5:23.
• Give with humility, and without publicity. James.4:6, Col.3:23.

God gave His all and His best. So we must give the best of whatever we want to offer. Anytime the Lord puts into your heart to offer a gift, do so promptly and without publicity.

Prayer: Father, grant me the grace to realise that nothing should be too much to offer for the progress of your work and as appreciation for whom you are. And to appreciate that all I have is provided by You in Jesus name I pray. Amen