Memorise: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
Read: Daniel 5:10-17 (KJV)
10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;
12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?
14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
Bible in one year:
Luke 2-3,
Isaiah 24:1-20,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 5
Message:
In His omniscience, our God has chosen not to endow His spiritual gifts on many of His children and ministers, even though they earnestly desire and seek these with fasting, prayer and long periods of waiting upon Him.
His refusal is because He knows that they will make merchandise of His gifts, and He does not want them to face the damnation that will follow. The Holy Spirit warns us concerning this in 2nd Peter 2:3:
“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s memory verse laid bare His principles for operating in spiritual gifts, saying, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” Contrary to this principle, some ministers of God are merchandising the gospel in order to meet their personal needs. Beloved, if you belong to this category of people, I advise that you repent, because it is better not to preach than to preach for money. Whoever is in contention with this truth should read the story of Gehazi over and over again 2nd Kings 5:16-27.
Daniel was an upright prophet of God who chose not to make gain from his prophetic office. Even though he was offered great riches and a political appointment if he could read the writing on the wall and tell its interpretation, he declined these gifts. In Daniel 5:17 he said:
“… Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another ; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.”
In other words, Daniel was saying “My prophetic gift is not for sale.” Faced with a similar circumstance, Peter said to Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:20:
….Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”
This is the character that our Lord wants to see inn those who minister before Him and among His people. The mentality of merchandising the gifts of God must be discouraged in the Church of God today. May God help His ministers to keep to the ethics of their calling in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point
Father, please deliver the ministers of Your gospel all over the world from greed that may cause them to merchandise Your Spiritual gifts.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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