FOR YEARS I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SPEAKING ABOUT OFFERING TO GOD AND WHEN THEY WERE ASKED ABOUT IT THEY COULD ONLY SAY A TITHE OF 10% OF YOUR INCOME EACH WEEK OR MONTH THAT GOES INTO THE CHURCH PLATE ON A SUNDAY
MORNING. I WAS TROUBLED BY THIS SO I ASKED GOD TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING IN HIS SIGHT. WAS IT ONLY MONEY OR WAS THERE MORE TO GIVING HIM AN OFFERING THAN JUST THAT? A PERSON ONCE
TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE A HARD TIME COMING UP WITH THE FINANCES TO TAKE CARE OF THE DAY-TO-DAY NECESSITIES THAT SUSTAIN THEIR LIFE. ON ONE OCCASION THEY TOLD ME, "THERE IS A LOT OF TIMES I CAN NOT PUT A DIME IN
CHURCH AND IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY BAD BUT JESUS KNOWS MY FINANCES."
WHY DO PEOPLE AND SOCIETY EQUATE GIVING AN OFFERING SOLELY WITH "MONEY"? "JESUS SAID WE SHOULD OFFER UP TO GOD OUR SACRIFICES" NOT "WE SHOULD OFFER UP TO GOD OUR MONEY".IT IS GREAT TO DO THAT IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS
TO AND I AM SURE THAT PLEASES GOD; BUT WHEN HE SAID WE SHOULD OFFER UP OUR SACRIFICES TO GOD, HE MEANT MORE THAN MONEY. LET ME EXPLAIN.
IN ONE OF THE PARABLES THAT JESUS TAUGHT HE TAUGHT THAT WE SHOULD "FEED THE HUNGRY AND CLOTHE THE POOR " HE DIDN’T SAY WE SHOULD GIVE JUST MONEY; WHAT HE MEANT WS THAT WE ARE TO CARE FOR ALL OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE. WE DO THAT BY SACRIFICING OUT TIME, ENERGY AND WHATEVER WE HAVE TO OBEY WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED US TO DO IN CARING FOR THEM. IT IS AN OFFERING TO GOD BY WHAT WE DO TO HELP
OTHERS AND TO COMFORT OTHER OR WHATEVER OUR HEARTS AND GOD DIRECTS US TO DO FOR HIS CHILDREN AND FOR HIS GLORY.IN ANOTHER PARABLE WAS THE STORY OF THE "WIDOW’S MITES"(MARK 12:42-44) SHE PUT IN THE ONLY TWO MITES SHE HAD AND IT MEANT MORE TO GOD THAN ALL THE TREASURE THAT THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES OF THE TEMPLE HAD COLLECTED FROM THE OTHERS.
WHY DID THE WIDOW’S MITES MEAN MORE?
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IT MEANT MORE TO THE LORD BECAUSE SHE GAVE ALL SHE HAD AND SHE GAVE IT FROM HER HEART. MOST GIVE OUT OF A SENSE OF OBLIGATION OR FROM THE MERE INTIMIDATION BY MANY OF THE CHURCH HEIRARCHY. WHEN IT IS GIVEN FROM THE
HEART, GOD ACCEPTS IT WITH THE SAME LOVE BY WHICH IT WAS GIVEN. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE HERE WE SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF. SUPPOSE THAT ALL THAT WIDOW HAD TO OFFER WAS A LOAF OF BREAD OR A FEW FISH OR EVEN A CLOAK? WOULD THAT MEAN ANY LESS TO GOD? CERTAINLY NOT! YOU SEE, GOD TAKES WHAT IS OFFERED, IF IT IS OFFERED FROM THE HEART AND WITH LOVE.
HE WOULD TAKE THAT LOAF OF BREAD OR THOSE FEW FISH OR THE CLOAK AND WOULD BLESS IT’S GIVER MORE THAN THE ONE WHO BEGRUDGINLY OR OUT OF OBLIGATION GAVE $10, $20 OR $30,000. IN GOD’S EYES MONEY IS NOT ALWAYS THE OFFERING HE WANTS FROM HIS PEOPLE. WHY WOULD HE? HE OWNS EVERYTHING THERE IS TO OWN AND THEN SOME! STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT! WHY WOULD A GOD WHO HAS POSESSION OF EVERYTHING IN CREATION FROM THE STARS IN THE
HEAVENS TO THE VERY GROUND WE WALK ON WANT JUST MONEY AS AN OFFERING?
WHAT GOD WANTS IS AN OFFERING OF THAT COMES FROM THE HEART AND WITH TOTAL LOVE, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FAITH. SO FOR SOME CAN NOT ALWAYS GIVE MONEY, BUT THEY GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND TALENT TO HELP OTHERS IN NEED. WHICH DO YOU THINK THAT GOD WILL ACCEPT? THE ONES WHO PUT MONEY IN THE CHURCH PLATE ON SUNDAY MORNING OUT OF OBLIGATION OR INTIMIDATION OR THE ONE WHO COULD PUT IN NONE AND GAVE OF THEMSELVES AND WHAT THEY HAD
BECAUSE THEY LOVE GOD AND WANTED TO OFFER UP THEIR "SACRIFICE"? THE ANSWER IS THE ONES WHO OFFERED UP THE SACRIFICES OF WHAT THEY HAD.
WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY DEFINES THE WORD "OFFERING " AS THIS:"SOMETHING OFFERED IN WORSHIP OR DEVOTION, A CONTRIBUTION GIVEN TO OR THROUGH THE CHURCH, ANYTHING OFFERED AS A GIFT." ALL THROUGH THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE,
FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE NEW TESTAMENT IT WASN’T MONEY THAT WAS OFFERED TO GOD. IT WAS THE "FIRSTFRUITS OF THEIR LABOR" OR THE "UNBLEMISHED LAMB" THAT WAS OFFERED. NOW, BEFORE ANYONE CALLS ME ON THE "FIRSTFRUITS OF THEIR LABOR" LET ME REMIND YOU THAT YOU WERE NOT ALWAYS PAID IN DRACHMAS OR MITES - YOU WERE PAID WITH THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR. FOR EXAMPLE...IF YOU LABORED IN A VINEYARD YOU GOT THE GRAPES OR IF YOU WERE A CARPENTER YOU WERE OFTEN GIVEN A MEAL FOR THE CARPENTRY THAT YOU DID.
THE RULER: LUKE 18:18-27
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AND A CERTAIN RULER ASKED HIM, SAYING, GOOD MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, WHY CALLEST THOU ME GOOD? NONE IS GOOD, SAVE ONE, THAT IS, GOD. THOU KNOWEST THE COMMANDMENTS, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT KILL, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER. AND HE SAID, ALL THESE HAVE I KEPT FROM MY YOUTH UP. NOW WHEN JESUS HEARD THESE THINGS, HE SAID UNTO HIM, YET LACKEST THOU ONE THING: SELL ALL THAT THOU HAST, AND DISTRIBUTE UNTO THE POOR, AND THOU SHALT HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN: AND COME, FOLLOW
ME.AND WHEN HE HEARD THIS, HE WAS VERY SORROWFUL: FOR HE WAS VERY RICH. AND WHEN JESUS SAW THAT HE WAS VERY SORROWFUL, HE SAID, HOW HARDLY SHALL THEY THAT HAVE RICHES ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD! FOR IT IS EASIER
FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH A NEEDLE’S EYE, THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND THEY THAT HEARD IT SAID, WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED? AND HE SAID, THE THINGS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN ARE
POSSIBLE WITH GOD.
HERE WE SEE THAT "GOOD WORKS" AND THE TITHES OF THE RULER MEANT NOTHING TO JESUS, EVEN THOUGH THE RULER DID ALL THAT WAS COMMANDED AND EXPECTED OF HIM BY LAW. WHY? BECAUSE IT WAS DONE OUT OF OBLIGATION AND NOT LOVE
FOR GOD. IT WAS DONE FOR PUBLIC RECOGNITION AND ACCLAIMATION...NOT FOR THE LOVE HE HAD FOR GOD. FOR THE RULER TO TRULY LOVE GOD, THE LORD ASKED HIM TO GIVE UP AND SELL ALL HE HAD TO FOLLOW HIM, BUT THE RULER COULD NOT. WHY? BECAUSE HE PUT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD ABOVE GOD. GOD DOESN’T WANT THAT, NOR DOES HE WANT WHAT IS GIVEN OUT OF PRIDE OR BOASTFULNESS. WITH GOD, THE FIRST FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR MAY VERY WELL BE THE TALENT AND OR ABILITY THAT YOU HAVE AND YOU HAVE OFFERED IT TO GOD FIRST. IT MAY BE SIMPLE BY GIVING TO THAT ABILITY OR TALENT TO GOD BY HELPING OTHERS WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE. ABRAHAM OFFERED SACRIFICIAL LAMBS ON GOD’S ALTAR UNTIL ONE DAY, GOD CALLED FOR HIM TO SACRIFICE,IN OBEDIENCE THE FIRST FRUIT OF HIS LABOR THAT WAS MOST DEAR TO HIM..HIS
SON ISSAC! ABRAHAM DID BECAUSE HE LOVED GOD, BUT GOD SPARED HIS SON AND ACCEPTED A RAM THAT HE HAD PLACE AMONG THE BRUSH. IT IS THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES OF THE TEMPLE THAT TURNED IT INTO A "MONEY ONLY" ISSUE.
SO YOU SEE MONEY IS NOT ALWAYS THE OFFERING THAT GOD IS SEEKING. HE IS SEEKING THE WILLINGNESS OF HIS CHILD TO SACRIFICE HIS TIME, HIS ENERGY AND WHATEVER RESOURCES HE HAS TO HELP OTHERS. THAT KIND OF OFFERING
MEANS MORE TO GOD THAN ALL THE MONEY THAT IS PUT INTO THE COLLECTION PLATE ON A SUNDAY MORNING. ANOTHER THING IF YOU PUT MONEY INTO THE COLLECTION PLATE BECAUSE YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TO AND IT DOESN’T COME
FROM THE HEART, THEN IT MEANS NOTHING TO GOD AT ALL. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THAT CHURCH THAT FORCES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OR A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION FROM IT’S FLOCK. THIS DOES NOT PLEASE GOD IN THE LEAST. IN FACT IT DISTURBS HIM QUITE ALOT AND ANGERS HIM AS WELL.
I SUPPOSE THAT GOD PUT IT TO ME IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, WHEN HE TOLD ME THIS: " WHEN YOU OFFER UP YOUR SACRIFICE TO ME, DO IT WITH YOUR HEART. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MONEY, IT CAN BE YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND WHATEVER RESOURCES THAT I PROVIDE FOR YOU BY WHICH YOU OFFER YOUR SACRIFICE. THAT MEANS MORE IN MY FATHER’S KINGDOM THAN ANYTHING ELSE. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT GOOD WORKS WILL NOT GET YOU INTO HEAVEN,
SALVATION WILL !" I NEVER FORGOT THAT. IT WOULD SERVE THESE MONEY HUNGRY CHURCHES WELL TO PUT THAT INTO PRACTICE. I HOPE THAT IN TELLING YOU THIS THAT IT COMFORTS YOU AND RELEASES YOU FROM THE GUILT YOU FEEL ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO "PUT A DIME IN THE COLLECTION PLATE." ON A SUNDAY MORNING. YOU DO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU AND HOW GOD TELLS YOU, NOT WHAT MAN TELLS YOUR OR DEMANDS FROM YOU.
DEAR CHILD OF GOD, YOU GIVE OFFERINGS TO THE LORD BY WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN HIS NAME. YOU ARE GIVING TO GOD BY HOW YOU HELP PEOPLE FIND GOD AND WHEN YOU GIVE FROM YOUR HEART WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO OFFER ! THAT IS YOUR
OFFERING. WHEN YOU CAN GIVE FROM THE HEART TO WHATEVER GOD TOUCHES YOU FOR..YOU ARE GIVING AN OFFERING. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MONEY IN A CHURCH OR TO A CHARITY. IT CAN BE JUST HELPING SOMEONE DOWN AND OUT OR ON THE
STREET OR EVEN YOUR NEIGHBOR.
WHEN GOD SAID 10% OF YOUR INCOME, HE DIDN’T SAY HE WANTED 10% OF YOUR MONEY ONLY! WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY DEFINES TITHE AS "THE TENTH PART OF GOODS OR INCOME PAID AS A TAX FOR THE SUPPORT OF A CHURCH. THE TENTH
PART OF SOMETHING, TO GIVE OR PAY TITHES ON, AS INCOME." NOTICE HERE THAT IS SAYS "GOODS" OR "INCOME", NOT MONEY OR NOT "JUST MONEY"; BUT OF "GOODS" AND OR "INCOME". SUPPOSE, IF YOU WILL, YOU ARE A FARMER AND THE ONLY INCOME YOU HAD WAS IN THE FORM OF VEGETABLES THAT YOU GREW OR THE MILK THAT YOU PRODUCED AND THE BUTTER OR CREAM YOU MADE FROM THAT MILK.
HOW WOULD YOU PAY A TITHE TO GOD WITH ONLY THAT AS YOUR SOURCE OF INCOME? YOU WOULD TAKE ONE-TENTH OF IT’S "FIRSTFRUITS" AND GIVE IT TO GOD BY GIVING IT TO SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDED IT. BY DOING THAT YOU ARE
GIVING TO GOD BY GIVING IT TO THE NEEDY NOT TO THE ONES WHO HAVE NO NEED.
NOW. LET’S LOOK AT SOMEONE WHO HAS SOME MONEY,BUT IS NOT WEALTHY AND BARELY SURVIVES ON WHAT THEY HAVE, YET THEY CAN GIVE OF BOTH MONEY AND GOODS TO MAKE UP THE ONE-TENTH THAT GOD COMMANDED OF THEM. GOD WILL ACCEPT THAT AS WELL, IF GIVEN FROM THE HEART WITH WITH THEIR LOVE FOR GOD. FINALLY, AS I SAID ABOVE, THERE ARE SOME WHO CAN GIVE NEITHER MONEY NOR GOODS, BUT THEY CAN GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND TALENT IN HELPING OTHERS WITH WHATEVER NEED THEY MAY HAVE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO NOT GIVE BACK TO GOD WHAT WHAT HE HAS GIVEN TO YOU. THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE GOD HIS 10 % IN MONEY, GOODS, TIME OR SERVICES OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF. GOD IS NOT A DEMANDING GOD AND HE DOESN’T WANT IT DONE GRUDGINGLY OR BY FORCE. HE WANTS YOU TO DO IT FROM THE HEART AND BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM.
