Good morning people who overflow with what God has given to you.
Over recent times when I have been asked how I am doing, I have answered by talking about the twin tracks of life that include one track of seeing the amazing things that God is doing and the other of the hardships and trials and difficulties. The Bible tells us that this time on earth will involve both, and on many occasions, these two twin tracks (like that of train tracks) will run simultaneously.
That said, today I felt Father replace those twin tracks with the twin tracks of RECEIVING and GIVING.
These are the twin tracks that Father wants me to give my attention to and to focus on. I am always receiving from Him and I am always giving to Him and to others. This is a much healthier twin track!
Matthew 10:7-8 NIV As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
These were the words of Jesus to His disciples about how He wants them to live life. These two essential keys for living result in an expression of the kingdom of heaven coming near; on earth as it is in heaven.
But the order is so important!
When people mention these two words, the normal order that rolls off the tongue is giving and receiving. But this is not the Biblical instruction of Jesus!
Our giving to God and to others MUST flow from our receiving from God.
This is not semantics my friends – this is the ONLY way that this can work! Salvation happens when we receive eternal life from God, and this can only happen because we have received revelation of the truth from God. It is from this place of receiving that we are instructed to give to God in worship and give to others in love and in being a witness of Jesus Christ.
Receiving precedes giving, and receiving must result in giving.