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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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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. Friday, September 18, 2020
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Giving to the Church Bible Verse:1 Corinthians 16:1-4 "Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me." Message:
It comes as no sunrise that one of the first things churches instituted was passing the collection plate. The early church was poor; it would not be until much later, when churches became entangled with the aristocratic systems, that they would hold income-producing properties and become the repositories of gold and precious stones, made into precious artwork, or generate the kind of money that would build the great cathedrals.
Once local expenses were paid, the rest was stored and sent to Jerusalem, where it was used to support the Council and pay for missionaries.
Paul says nothing about how much of one's income should be given to the church, but he does say that every person is to “put something aside . . . as he may prosper,” that is, set aside a portion of wealth proportionate to one's income. The tithe, not mentioned in the New Testament, comes from the Jews. The first mention comes in Leviticus 27:30, “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.”
Many Christians follow (and many churches teach) a 10% guideline for giving. It is a disciplinary test to ensure that they do not rationalize greed and so corrupt their souls, but it is not Biblical. Like most of the Mosaic law, Christ moved from formal requirements of outward compliance with fixed laws to spiritually-led decisions. The New Testament gives no fixed amount or percentage of money that one should give to charity and the church. Instead, it focuses on the individual's spiritual growth and the expression of one's love for Christ.
Do not think that Christ brought a softer faith. His standards were enormously greater than the Mosaic law; He taught, for example, that where the Jews did not commit adultery, His followers should not even lust in their hearts; where the law forbade murder, Christ forbade anger, unresolved disputes, and even self-defense. (Matthew 5) And where the law set a tithe, Christ taught that, to be perfect, we should sell all our possessions, give them to the poor, and follow Him. (Matthew 19:16-22)
It is hard for us to justify our faith when our actions show that our primary concerns are human. One cannot grow in Christ when attached to money, and Christ himself was especially clear on this matter. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
When we feel torn, we should do what we should always do: pray diligently, for God's wisdom is available anytime we pray in honesty and humility. (James 1:5). Above all, whatever one offers should be given with pure intentions, as a service to the church of Christ and an act of submission and love of God. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”.” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
One other bit of advice, practical mixed in with theological, is the instruction to set aside something at the beginning of every week. In modern terms, we might adjust this to whenever we do our budgeting or receive our income; the point is, to set something aside for God when we receive, rather than see how much we have left over.
Meditation : [Those whom the world despises have become the cornerstone of Christ's church.] Prayer : Now to him who is able to keep us from stumbling and to present ourselves blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.......Amen |
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