OFFERINGS

Today we will be talking about offerings.

Offering according to the dictionary, is a contribution given at a religious service. It is that which has been offered I.e a sacrifice. It can either be a voluntary or compulsory donation to the church. Our offering pleases God.

People who go to church and don't drop offerings don't understand the importance of our offerings.

We'd first look at the types of offerings

1. Freewill offering: this type of offering isn't compulsory. It is determined by you  and the reward of this offering is dependent on how you mete it out.

Give generously and generous gifts will be given back to you, shaken down to make room for more. Abundant gifts will pour out upon you with such an overflowing measure that it will run over the top! Your measurement of generosity becomes the measurement of your return.”

Luke 6:38 TPT

38 b says "for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured you again.

So the blessings of the freewill offering is dependent on what you give.

2. Collections and contributions: this type of offering is for ministerial purposes. That is for building of the church, evangelism etc. Acts 4:32-37

You can read that at your spare time

 3) Alms. It shows the extent of our love and care for one another. Giving to the poor is like lending unto God and God will always replenish you. Proverbs 19:17

4) Seed offering: I'm sure we all know this type. In our various churches we are always asked to sow one seed or the other. Now, seed offerings are given based on faith or when we want a change in situations. Let's say we want healing or we need financial breakthrough. Etc

Seed offerings make for "temporal" changes. 

b) Sacrificial offering: This type makes for a permanent change in a situation. This can be seen in 2Kings 3:27 where king Moab sacrificed his son in order to stop a war against the Israelites. In the subsequent chapter, there was no mention of that war.

5) Partnership offerings: This type of offering is given when we believe in a cause. The grace in this cause begins to work for us. Luke 8 vs 2-18

6) Prophetic offering or seeds: This type of offering is given to a man of God to get the anointing working in his life to move in our direction.

read 1kings 17:7-13 And Matthew 10:41

7) Special offering or thanksgiving offering: This type of offering is to show gratitude for something specific God has done

Now to the two most important types of offerings- *Tithes and first fruit*

8) Tithe: it's compulsory😊. Forget what people say, it's compulsory. It's for God. God has done all these amazing things in our lives and guess what he's asking for? Just 10% of our earnings. 10%

10% of our goods. 10% of what we've asked him for. Lets read Malachi 3:8

Malachi  3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.*

If you don't give your tithes, you're robbing God.

Malachi  3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.*

Why's it important to give our tithe? It's clear in the next verse

Malachi  3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.*

9) First fruits: our first fruit offerings are the best. Your first fruit is your first harvest. It is your first salary after you've gotten that job you've always wanted. Your first fruit is a honour unto God.

Exodus  34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.  34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

                            
                 IMPORTANCE OF OFFERING. 

Offering is very important to God. 

-We worship God through our offerings. 

-Our offering allows God to act on our behalf 

- offerings creates unlimited blessings 

- our offerings allows God to Get us out of trouble. 

- offerings disrupts the plans of the enemy.

I hope we do understand the different types of offering and it's importance

And when we are asked to give for one cause or the other we shouldn't grumble or complain. Our offerings open doors for us

Another thing I've come to realize is that monetary offerings or seeds doesn't necessarily translate to monetary blessings

That is, we shouldn't go and sow seed because we think that money will multiply in our lives. It can also come back to us in other ways. Health, protection, etc

Lastly, it is important for us not to owe God the compulsory offerings. Giving shows us how much we love our father.