Key #1 – God Owns Everything
Numbers 18:24
• The people were giving their offering to the Lord even though they were physically giving the tithes to the Levites
• Although it looked like the people were giving to the spiritual leaders of Israel they were giving to God
• It was God who designated his funds to the Levites
• In the same way, New Testament believers have been designated by God to give tithes to the church in order to support one another, the functions of the church, and its leaders (2 Cor. 8,9; Gal. 6:6-7; 1 Timothy 5:17-18)
• As disciples, we should love our churches and ministers and support them financially but we must never lose sight of the fact that we are giving to God first and foremost
• Giving is an act of worship to God above anything else
• Why is it so important to keep focused on the fact that when we give tithes and offerings we are really giving to God rather than men?
Isaiah 58:6-10
• Another aspect of our giving in obedience to God is to give to the poor and needy
• God’s expectations for his people is that they will care for the hungry, needy, and oppressed
• His willingness to answer prayers is directly affected by how we act towards those among us who are in need
• If you want to empower your prayer life then give to God and live a life that protects, serves, and cares for the under-privileged
Jeremiah 22:16
• When you know God, you will take up the cause of the poor and needy to the extent that you are able
• Why do you think God is so concerned with how his people treat the poor and needy, especially considering the fact that Jesus made it clear that we would never be able to eliminate poverty and need (Mt. 26:11; Mk. 14:7; Jn. 12:8)
• Do you generously support benevolent activities both within the church and outside of it?
• Although we are to give to God by both giving financially to the church and the poor, we must always remember that it can be easy in our day and time to just write a check without giving of our time and heart and truly taking up the cause of the Kingdom and/or the cause of the poor and needy?
• Do you give not only of your finances but also your time and energy?
Matthew 16:27
• We will lose steam in our resolve to give consistently and sacrificially to God’s Kingdom if we don’t keep our eyes focused on the dual facts that we give to him and that we will give an account of everything we did and how we used the resources that God made available to us
• It is with the reality of the age to come that we need to live and make our decisions in life
• The Ancient Egyptians believed in a form of the afterlife where they could take their earthly treasures with them
• Thus, they would bury people, especially their kings, with their treasured possessions
• The kings would be buried with an immense amount of wealth
• Those treasures, however, stayed right where they were buried until the tombs were robbed or discovered by archaeologists
• The Egyptian kings kept their wealth for themselves
• Our choice is to live in the service of the king or live as though we were the king
Convictions
• Do you truly live your life like the Egyptians who accumulated and hoarded possessions because they thought they could take them with them when they died?
• Have you completely surrendered to the idea that everything is God’s and that he calls us to live with our hearts set on eternal things rather than temporal possessions and security?
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It seems each qt challenges my time. The question of do I give the poor and needy my time - my first thought is not much. But then I thought about something that Tony once said about how when we work to earn the money to give to the poor that is giving of time too. I do think there is something to be said about seeing first hand the needs that exist, though.
ReplyDeleteEvery place I've lived before this has brought me face to face with poverty. There have always been homeless people on the streets and many places where there were obvious needs. It is becoming very apparent to me that I will have to search for needs here. I've run into one homeless person since coming to Appleton. He was invisible to everyone else around at the time. He explained to me he had recently been baptized in a local church. It's interesting that though he may be considered one of God's children, he had nothing and no one helping him. He lived at a laundry mat. The owner was letting him stay there after it closed at night (I guess that is something).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I need to put more effort into seeking and finding needs. I know that there are needs here; physical, emotional, and spiritual. Appleton for the most part is a land flowing with mild and honey (at least on the surface). It brings to mind the teaching of "he who has been given much, much will be expected."
I need to improve more on this area for sure. And my Dad has been very helpful in me becoming better in this area. Its better to give than to receive.
ReplyDeleteThis is Jeff