Prayer is a powerful resource for the believer. The bible tells us that we should pray all the time, that if we ask anything without doubting we should receive it. Prayer is practiced in mostly all religions in the world.  Prayer is recommended by many doctors as a means of releasing stress and help with some mental illnesses. Now, across the spectrum giving to the needed and making donations also is mentioned in the bible as important, it says that if anyone asks for your coat to give him the clothes off your back too. The bible also says that we should bring our tithes to store house and God will open the windows of heaven and pour blessing on the giver, that God blesses a cheerful giver. So, prayer and giving are of most essential to our relationship with God. Now, both prayer and giving are meant to compliment each other, doing one with out the other is a half way point, and so they should be done together. When prayer and giving are done together they complete the perfect remembrance sacrifice before God to move on our behalf.

Acts 10

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

Now, Cornelius was not a Jew or part of God’s people back in those days, he was just a believer doing what he thought would please God. He spent lots of time praying and giving alms to the poor. Now, the giving of Alms in the NT incorporated three exercises almsgiving, prayer and fasting and Cornelius was doing just that. He spent time praying, giving to the poor and fasting, and Cornelius’ time to receive a blessing not expected. All of Cornelius prayers and alms finally came before God and God moved bring Peter with the word and pouring the Holy Spirit on him and all that believed in his family.

Both prayer and giving of alms come with rewards from God and from men. The rewards from men are temporary and can be taken away (Mt. 6:19-21) and can void the rewards from God (Mt. 6:1-4). God’s rewards are sure, they cannot be taken away or lost. God sent the angel to Cornelius and commissioned Peter on Cornelius behalf. Now, God can not be bought (Act 8:20), that is his gift, but he can be moved and with prayer and alms.  Many of want God to move on our behalf and give us what we are asking for, and God might not give us what we are asking but will give us the Spirit which will guide us to what we want.

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