Message
I became the General Overseer of RCCG about 45 years ago. At that time, the total income of the church was less than my monthly salary from the university I resigned from. The church had 39 other members of staff, and after paying them, there was usually nothing left for the General Overseer. As a human being, I turned to God and said, “Lord, I told You to leave me alone where I was lecturing, afterall, I was already pastoring. After collecting my salary, I always deduct money for food and fuel for my car, and the rest goes to Your work. Now, what I am getting from the government is no longer available, and this is the income of the church. What guarantee do I have that I will survive?” Then, God made me a promise, “Son, I have only one guarantee to give you; wherever you go, I will be with you.” Truly, God hasn’t failed me:in 45 years, I have neither borrowed nor begged. Indeed, God provides.
When you see someone who cannot testify to the fact that God provides, it is likely that you have found someone who is stingy, even to God. If you pay attention to my story in the first paragraph, you will see that even when I was a lecturer, almost all my money was given to God. Hence, whenever I am in need, He has never failed me. says that it is when you give that it shall be given unto you. The widow of Zarephath understood this, so when God, through Prophet Elijah, asked for her last meal, she gave it. In return, she had more than enough food to last her throughout the famine.
God has been so gracious to many people such that giving Him all their money is not enough to say ‘thank you’ to Him. Despite this, when He asks them for just a little of what they have, they would say ‘no’. Apart from being stingy to God, a lot of them are also stingy to people around them, especially the less privileged. says:
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Beloved, if you want God to provide for you, don’t be stingy to His work, men and women of God, those around you, or the poor. The liberal soul will surely be made fat ().