Reading your Bible for today August 18

August 18: Matthew 6:1-4

KJV Key Verse: Matthew 6:1
1 Take heed that ye do not your almsbefore men, to be seen* of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Devotion:
I know that giving can make you very happy and we should always be willing to give, but how you go about giving is the matter under discussion here. When we are giving just to make ourselves happy or worse still to show off to others, then we are not doing anything worthy! Take a look at some of the charities around today – how they have turned themselves into a business of giving a portion in the face of advertising so they can look good, maybe even better than their competitor charities…. Competitor charities – that just does not sit right with me!

God does not want people who are all talk and very little doing; He wants people who are not going to shout about things as they try to do good. God wants people who are willing to step forward and do things without the need for rewards or congratulations.

Some of the finest examples of bravery during wars only comes out many years later when the truth surfaces about the people doing things without the expectation or rewards. Some of the best charities I know are doing the work without shouting about stuff before they go out and help people on the streets; they go and help people first and foremost, giving God the glory for those success stories which come out after they have happened!

Too many people are focused on doing the counting and summing up rather than the work and following up. It may be one thing to gain a great number of people into God’s Kingdom, but unless there is going to be constant and sustained discipleship following those conversions we are not really focused on doing God’s work. An evangelist makes a big difference, but a true evangelist will make sure there is support in place before they come forward and do their own work. God’s kingdom is about the sustained growth of the church and not momentary blips which look great at the time. Grow with people, grow with Christ.

Points to Ponder:
Do you seek rewards for your work?

Do you seek God for your work?