When God gives you something it becomes yours but once you make a promise to offer it unto Him it now becomes His and you must keep your word. Whatever decision we make in life is bounded by these two things:a blessing and a curse that’s why we need to be meticulous with our choices.
“Peter said to Ananias, ‘Ananias, Satan wanted you to tell a lie and you have obeyed him. You have told a lie to the Holy Spirit. That is a bad thing to do! You sold your field, but you did not give us all the money. You kept part of it for yourselves. Before you sold the field, it belonged to you. And after you sold the field, the money was yours. You could choose what to do with it. But you chose to do a very bad thing. You did not only tell a lie to us men. You have told a lie to God.’”
Acts 5:3-4 EASY ENGLISH
“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”
Acts 5:3-4 ASV
Once you make a promise to God you have to live to it.He gave you the will to make your own decisions on what you can willingly bring us an offering to Him so don’t try to please your leaders by trying to do what is above you .You can only give what you have.
Consider and count your cost wisely before you make any promise to God, to your church ,pastor and even the people close to you.
He gave you according to the grace you have upon your life .Be an honest giver; whatever you promise to give should be more of a blessing than a burden . It’s only rare cases where God instructs you to make certain sacrificial offerings.
God is not a fool to be mocked .He doesn’t need your offerings, pledges and tithes to survive but it is for your own good to unlock blessings by doing these things. You do not have the right to make God look like a fool before men, you will be doing that at your own risk.
Don’t try to show off with your giving it would become more of curse than a blessing .Don’t be too quick to make promises such as pledges, building a church and other things you know you won’t be able to keep .When you do not keep your promise,you have not only lied to who ever you made the promise to but to God as well …now this is dangerous because who will plead on your behalf? Anybody who talks too much have the tendency of destroying their life but you would be preserving it when you learn how to be prudent in your talking.
May God help us all.
