Tithe and Offerings

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Tithing and giving to God in the OT was required by the law to help support the work of the Levite to fulfill the ceremonial law given to the Jews. Tithing also predates the law and has always been part of God’s plan to show our willingness to put God first in every part of our life. The principle of giving continues on in the NT. The NT does not specify anywhere that Christian are suppose to give tithe as a requirement to be a Christian. Instead, the scriptures imply that everything we have belongs to God. Putting God first in our financial life by helping to support the work of God or helping those in need supersedes the law of tithe.  We are stewards of the things that God gives us. Giving is a matter of the heart. As people find God’s love they desire to find ways to support the spiritual kingdom of God’s work. They give, not out of duty, but out of love for His kingdom. Bring your offering to the storehouse of God’s grace and share the grace of God by sharing the blessings that God has given you. 

Respecting People

James 2: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Committing sin when professing to be a follower of Christ is to do something that you know violates God’s word. God’s word makes many things clear about what is sin. The world often scoffed at the word and blows it off as antiquated and irrelevant in our progressive society. They pick and choose what they thing is wrong and right. Choosing their own morality base on their own desires. Treating people differently because they are richer or poor, white or black, smart or ignorant is to commit sin. Racism and having social prejudices that leads to injustice is to disregard the mercy of God. The Word of God requires that we show respect to all human beings, that our origin of birth or social and economic class should not dictate to us how we treat others. God is no respecter of person. For God so loved the WORLD that He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins and provide a way to live forever with God in this life and the life after.

More of Him

Matt. 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We seek what we desire. If we desire the things of God, we find time to get more of Him. Seeking righteousness is not done by accident, it is intentional and with purpose. Those who look for ways to fill their lives with good things will find satisfaction. God is ready to bless those who hunger and thirst after Him. Those who read His word, find time to pray, worship Him in the place of worship, and desire to live a consistent life of holiness. We live in a culture where people are entice to live to seek the pleasures of the flesh. To follow the fleshly desires that appeal to the carnal heart. Desires that are forbidden in God’s word. As we seek God for salvation and sanctification, He deepens our desire for more of Him. As we seek for more of Him, He fills us with His Spirit and empowers us to live holy.

We Belong to God.

1 Corinth 6:19- What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

The mantra on the pro choice movement is that no one should be able to make the choice to have a baby except for them, for it is their body, therefore they have the right to decide whether the baby inside their womb will die or live. What! do they not know that their bodies is the temple created for the dwelling place God. That the body we have is not are own, but was created by God and belongs to Him. For those who are in Christ, God in flesh came to this world and paid the price to purchase and pay the debt for sin. He bought us and owns us as His own. We no longer can claim that we can do what we want with our bodies, for we have become one in Christ and the things we do with our body must follow the commands and principles of God’s word. That is why the taking of our own lives is wrong, that is why we don’t ingest substance that can kill the body, and that is why abortion is wrong. The taking the life of an unborn child is morally wrong if the word of God is given any consideration as our moral compass. Life is precious with God, even the life within the womb. 

Lead Us and Hold Us

Psalm 139: 9,10 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Yes there are times we feel that God is nowhere to be found. But, He promise to never leave us or forsake us. This is not the time to walk away from believing and trusting Him to carry us through. Even when we may be going through a difficult situation, or a time of loneliness, He will take our hand and lead us to the other side of our trail or hardship. Finding comfort or satisfaction outside of God always comes to a dead end. Like Job, we may turn in every direction and wonder where He is. For “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. We don’t see Him physical, but by faith our eyes can be open to him even when life is dark and uncertain. We can have the confidence that no matter where we our, God sees us and desires to hold us.

Pride Before Fall

Pros 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

The thin line between pride, arrogance, and self confidence is determine in the attitude and spirit of an individual. Paul said, “I can do all things..” but he qualifies his ability and determination by recognizing that it is not him, but Christ living in him that he is able to accomplish and achieve the goals set before him. God has given us all gifts and talents. They all differ and are manifest in different ways. He expects us to exercise those talents to their full potential. In doing so, we become more confident in our abilities to be the best at what we can do. We lose protective when we begin to think that we have done this in our strength and will. Pride is what brought the kings of Babylon down, it was pride that cast Satan out of heaven, and pride that cause Adam and Eve to think they could be as God. “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” vs 19. In all things, give God the glory.

Hear The Voice of God

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

To truly hear the voice of God one needs to be a follower of Jesus. God speaks to all of humanity to entreat them to be followers, but the intimacy of fellowship and communion with a God that is divine, comes from living close to God. He will speak to us anytime and anywhere, but we can hear Him better when we are able to shut the world out around us and take time to get alone with Him. Finding a trysting place, to shut out the things that beg for our attention is not always easy.  We can hear His voice and know His desire as we read His word and meditate on His truths. We shall know Him more intimately as we listen and follow His commands. 

Pleasant Words

Prov. 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones

The words we speak can be very powerful. In themselves, they don’t have the power to change a life, but the Holy Spirit can take the words we speak and use it to touch the life of someone who needs encouragement or comfort. We don’t know what is happening in people’s live and speaking pleasant words at the right time can make a difference. Hurting people often lash out and will become angry and say words that they often regret later. How we respond to them in words can calm the tempest around them. It would be good that we examine our words before we open our mouth. Are they true, are the kind, and are they necessary? May our words be as honey, sweet and pleasant. 

Speaking Always with Grace

Col 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Looking for the opportunity to talk about God and His love should always be done with grace. Depending on your surroundings, the people that we come in contact with on a daily bases all have their perceptions and ideas of God. As Christians, we our the light of Christ. Our speech will betray if we really know Jesus Christ, or if you are just another religious person with a dogma to propagate. The words we speak and how we speak them will reflect if we are truly followers of Christ. Speaking always with grace will keep us from saying unkind things, or speaking words that Jesus Himself would not use. If we are to be the salt of the earth, then we must not only give a truthful answer, but speak the truth with love and grace.