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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Saturday, March 28, 2020
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Offerings Bible Verse :Philippians 4:14-18 "Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God" Message:
Paul first insures that the Philippians understand his message, in the previous verses, about being content in times of plenty and hardship. He is human, as are they, so he doesn't want to seem ungrateful that they have eased his burden in Rome with their gift of money and items for his comfort.
Then, he makes a second point. It is more important for them to give than for him to receive. It pleases him, in his roles as brother and mentor, that they feel so much regard for God and give of their worldly goods so freely for Him. They are “laying up their treasure in heaven.” (Matthew 6:19-21.)
The word “credit” here would have been read more in its financial sense by ancient Greeks. “To his credit” has become such a common metaphor in English, we do not even think of finances when we read it. But the Greeks would have taken the primary sense of having put their money in a bank account.
This seems like a fairly uncontroversial matter to us, today, but consider how often churches have abused donations throughout history. In the Middle Ages, the Orthodox and Catholic churches became terribly corrupted by greed. Russian peasants, starving and miserable, would have to pay cash they needed to survive in order to bury a loved one, because they were told that such a burial was the only way their departed would get to heaven. The abuse of “indulgences” is well-known, and was probably the practice that most directly catalyzed the Protestant Reformation.
In more modern times, we see the same phenomenon repeated time and again, most notoriously by the televangelist scandals of the late 20th century and “prosperity theology” today. We primarily need to guard our own hearts against greed; but we need to guard our churches against the appearance of greed, also.
Meditation : Prayer : The blessing of the Lord rest and remain upon all his people, in every land, of every tongue; the Lord meet in mercy all that seek him; the Lord comfort all who suffer and mourn; the Lord hasten his coming, and give us, his people, the blessing of peace, this day and always.........Amen |
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