From the archives of Oral Roberts – Second of two parts
Did you know that the first murder came about because the sacrifice was not accepted? Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, killed his brother Abel because God refused his sacrifice (see Genesis 4:3˗8). It didn’t have the blood in it. It didn’t have repentance in it. It didn’t have faith in it. But Abel came with the blood sacrifice, with repentance and faith, and God received him. Then Cain killed Abel.
God put a mark on Cain and said, A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth [because your sacrifice is not acceptable] (v. 12).
Where are you going when you don’t have God? If we don’t love to go to church and worship, we should stay home. If we sacrifice money or time or anything else and we don’t give it in faith or in love, expecting to receive back from God according to His written Word, it is not acceptable.
If God does not accept your sacrifice, it makes no difference if anyone else accepts it or if anybody else pats you on the back. Paul told the Philippians, “When you brought this gift of money and other things to me in my need, that was well-pleasing to God — not just pleasing, but well-pleasing to God” (v 18).
Think about your spiritual need. Can you imagine the wealth, the ability, and the power there is in heaven? There is no enemy and no poverty in heaven. The streets are paved with gold up there is glory!
Paul said, “You communicated with me concerning giving and receiving.” Receiving, in the Greek language, means “receipting” — getting a receipt. A receipt means giving and receiving. He is talking about sowing and reaping, seedtime and harvest. God wants us to go through the procedure of giving and receiving so we can have a receipt with Him, and the receipt will be getting our needs met.
Plant a seed, but do it with giving and receiving in mind — for a receipt to be given to you by God that He may meet all your needs according to His riches (Philippians 4:19). Just obey the Lord according to His Word, and God will bless you!
