Many preachers go on about what we can, or what we must give God. Yet from the moment that man is born into the world, he has nothing to give, because he has nothing.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they died. First, God warned them:
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 17)
Yet they did eat from the tree, with the following results:
"6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings." (Genesis 3: 6-7)
The first man and woman died because they chose to be independent from God their source, and just as a plant which strips itself from the ground, so too man dies spiritually by taking himself out of God's control and care and instead attempt to control and care for himself.
A dead man has nothing to give, because he has nothing, not even control or care for anything.
Jesus dismissed any value in the abundance of people, places, and things which a man could boast in:
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16: 26)
and also
"13And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12: 13-15)
Let us not presume that we can give God anything of ourselves. Receive from Him first, that we in turn may give to others.
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