Saturday April 28, 2012

Read Deuteronomy 14:22-29;  Gal 6:6; 1 Cor 9:8-14

 

We rarely think of our giving as part of our holiness and separation unto the Lord. But here in Israel we clearly see that being holy included their food as well. Not only was a portion set aside for Israel’s God but the way it was eaten was important as well.  As Israel separated her tithe to the Lord and ate in the presence of the Lord  she was declaring her total dependence upon the Lord. It also functioned to remind them to constantly fear the Lord their God and to enjoy His blessings by remaining loyal to Him alone. We don’t give food and grain offerings to the Lord but the concept of eating before the Lord need not dissolve from our church services. Church lunches/dinners are a great way to eat in the Lord’s presence and to declare our total dependence upon Him.

 

Israel was also to support the poor by her tithes and the Levites were to be direct recipients of the tithe. The Levites had no inheritance in the land and were to be provided for by the people’s offerings.  This system directly parallels the care and provision New Testament Church is called to provide for its ministers. Yet we see all too often churches that cannot pay their bills, let alone feed and provide for their minister. Far too many churches have empty pulpits and are leaderless because tithing and free will offerings are withheld from the Lord. If every person/family in our churches across the land tithed and gave sacrificially, we would have enough funds for the wealthier churches to bolster the poorer churches and most, if not all, churches would be staffed by at least one full time minister. We would probably have surplus funds to support the poor and needy both here and abroad. All it would take is for each person to give sacrificially to the Lord’s work.

 

Throughout April we have  studied, by and large, holiness and choice. The

bottom line is that you as a child of God have a choice at ever turn to be holy, to live for God or to live for your self.  You are a Holy Spirit filled being and you can make positive choices. You can bring glory and honour and exaltation to the Lord Jesus Christ with every choice you make. Whether or not you do, is up to you.

 

Go on, make a resolution to continue to live for the glory of your God, today.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that each individual in your congregation would be making positive choices that honour God and bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that we see a revival in holiness throughout the churches across that land. Pray that the holiness shines forth so brightly that outsiders come in to find Jesus.

¥ Pray that our brothers and sisters in persecuted lands continue to walk in holiness even though they are persecuted and deprived and harassed. Pray that nothing would be able to make them deny Christ in word or deed.