WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
TOPIC: GOD DOESN’T ACCEPT EVERY THANKSGIVING OFFERING
BY T. O. BANSO
“Do not bring to the house of the LORD your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 23:18 New Living Translation).
While it is true that God wants us to thank Him, He doesn’t accept every thanksgiving offering or every offering. I’m not referring to the size of the offering. Some people think that they can give any thanksgiving offering to God and He’ll accept it because He loves thanksgiving. But God can do without the thanksgiving of many people because He won’t compromise His Word.
If God doesn’t respect someone, He won’t respect his offering. Genesis 4:4-5 says the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. Furthermore, if God doesn’t approve of someone’s method, He won’t accept His thanksgiving offering. Since the method is wrong, the result is detestable to God.
If someone is thanking God for the ‘successes’ he is getting through his lifestyle of sin, he is missing the point. God didn’t do what he is thanking Him for. What God desires first from that person is repentance. Proverbs 15:8 says, “The LORD hates the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright” (New Living Translation).
God has nothing to do with some things that people go to Church to thank Him for. They know how they got the results they’re thanking God for. God didn’t do it! Why give the glory to God?
God is interested not just in the result; He is also interested in the process. You can’t get a result through a sinful process, and then come to give the glory to God. If a student cheated in an examination and passed, what thanksgiving is he doing? Is he thanking God for helping him to cheat?
If a politician or his party rigs to win an election, what is he going to church to do thanksgiving for? He doesn’t even need to thank Him at home! Who are people deceiving? Certainly not God.
If an armed robber, a kidnapper, or a fraudulent person brings a thanksgiving offering to God from the proceeds of his crime, will God accept that kind of offering? Deuteronomy 23:18 says, “Do not bring to the house of the LORD your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the LORD your God” (New Living Translation). God doesn’t overlook anyone’s sin because of his thanksgiving offering.
Sin will make you unacceptable to God. And if you’re unacceptable to God, your thanksgiving can’t be acceptable to Him. Repent of your sins first. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7 New King James Version).
God is first interested in you before He is interested in whatever offering you want to give Him. “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24 New King James Version). Always give to God an acceptable thanksgiving offering.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent of any sin that can make my offerings unacceptable to You. Holy Spirit, help me to offer to God an acceptable thanksgiving.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria. Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523 WhatsApp No: +2349081295947 Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com Website: www.cedarministry.org
