To God Be The Glory Series

TO GOD BE THE GLORY (2 SAMUEL 7)

The “toys of the super rich,” as CNN/Money calls them, including their travel, cell phones, diamonds and cars, can be more expensive than a family home.

A night at the 2,640 square-foot Presidential Suite at the Mandarin Hotel in Manhattan costs $12,959 per-night, making it the most expensive hotel room in New York City.

The Vertu cell phone from Nokia comes with a sticker price up to $26,550. Sapphire crystal lens and high-fidelity speakers are included and buyers can choose the casing from either platinum or 18 carat gold. With the press of one button, users connects to a live person who can do their bidding day or night in 170 countries worldwide, including getting into the hottest restaurants, clubs or restaurants worldwide.

Colored diamonds are best friends of celebrities, tycoons, royalty and other super rich. They are extremely rare and cost at least 25 percent more than white diamonds. People wait in line for a diamond that can cost $45,000 to $500,000 depending on its color.

Finally, the new Ferrari Enzo sells for $650,000, doubling or tripling the price of the most expensive Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz or Bentley, but nothing burns rubber and money like the new Bugatti Veyron, which costs more than a cool $1 million.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/23/pf/q_ultraluxury/index.htm

Giving of oneself, not things, is the best gift one can give to God.

After the death of Saul, David and his men moved out of foreign Ziklag into Hebron (2 Sam 2:3-4), where all the tribes of Israel came to David and sought him for their king (2 Sam 5:1-2) after Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son who succeeded him, was assassinated (2 Sam 4). David the king enjoyed peace, prosperity and popularity. Generals, advisers and servants were in his service. After ruling from Hebron for seven and a half years (2 Sam 5:4-5) David moved the capital to Jerusalem, which he captured from the Jebusites (2 Sam 5:6-8). He fortified, developed and improved Jerusalem and her surrounding areas (2 Sam 5:9-12). By this time, the Philistines were soundly defeated in two successive battles by David and his army (2 Sam 5:17-25). The king purposed in his heart to build a temple to honor God but God preferred David to honor Him in another way. God delayed the construction of the temple until David’s son Solomon assumed the throne.

What does God value in our giving? What does it mean to offer our best to God? Why is giving a natural way to express our thanksgiving to God?

God Values the Spirit of Giving More Than The Size of Giving

7:1 After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you.” 4 That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying: 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” (2 Sam 7:1-7)

After being away on business, a man thought it would be nice to give his wife a little gift. “How about some perfume?” he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50.00.

“That’s a bit much,” said the man, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. “That’s still quite a bit,” he complained.

Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle. “What I mean,” said the man, “is I’d like to see something really cheap.”

The clerk held a mirror.

The wise saying, “It’s not the gift but the thought that counts,” has a few cousins and relatives. Other sayings of the same family include:

“It’s not the gift that counts, it is the gesture.”

“It’s not the gift, but the love that comes with it that counts.”

“It’s not the gift but the sentiment that counts.”

The Russian have a saying: “It’s not the gift that counts; it’s attention.”

By 30, David was at the pinnacle of his success. He was no longer in a cave but in a castle and he was no longer feeding sheep, but ruling men. The nation was united behind him, supportive of him and confident in him. At the zenith of his power, David couldn’t bear the thought of building a beautiful, luxurious and expensive palace for himself but not erecting a grand, magnificent and extraordinary temple for God. However, God declined the gift, no matter how imposing its size, how impressive its structure or how intricate its sketch. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The tabernacle, and not the temple, was God’s original intent. He moved from place to place in a tent (v 6). He dwells in our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit.