A Spirit-filled gift brings a Spirit-filled revelation. Do you know why Paul wrote the letter of Philippians? To thank them for taking up an offering for him. Why? Because he was in prison (house arrest style) and he needed financial support for necessitates.
Catch this though, “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” (Philippians 1:1). The church had grown to have bishops (overseers) and deacons (workers). When we read Acts 16, we see the church had started with a few ladies praying by the riverside and Paul converting a jailer and his family to Christ after being beaten and imprisoned. Read thru Acts 16:12-40 for context.
Here is a church that had grown to the point of supporting Paul and raising up leadership spiritually and practically. Years earlier Paul had come upon ladies worshiping by the riverside. These ladies were worshiping there because there was no place of worship in Philippi at the time. After witnessing Paul and Silas gets thrown in jail unlawfully. They are found singing praises at midnight when the earth shakes and are freed. The Roman guard thinks they have escaped and is about to attempt suicide. (In those days if someone escapes under Roman guard the guard would be executed). Paul stops him, leads him to the Lord, and then his family. Now, years later this humble beginning of converts to Jesus are supporting Paul in his time of need, and we get blessed to study some of the most heartfelt Scriptures almost 2,000 years later. Wow!
Today, don’t hesitate to give that gift the Lord lays on your heart. It could be the gift of prayer, the gift of sharing the gospel, a financial gift to help that family, person, or ministry, or the gift of your presence in someone’s life today. Be Jesus to others, like Paul and many others. You never know the Spirit-filled gift you give and the Spirit-filled revelation it may bring.
- To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.