Thursday May 10, 2012

Make a list of 2 ways that you can serve this Sonday at church and 3 things that you can give to God..

Of course it’ s difficult!

 

Read Deuteronomy 16:16-17

 

Throughout the Hebrew calendar year, each male was to come to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord at least three times, especially in the high holy days. And in coming to the Lord, each person was commanded NOT to appear before the Lord empty handed.

 

What a great contrast to our churches today where many people come looking for a spiritual fix, a refuelling of their tank and deep desire for others to serve them, to speak to them, to minister to them and to look after their needs. How many people have moved churches because it didn’t cater for their needs or didn’t scratch them where they were itching or didn’t do what they wanted...

 

Very few people approach church any more with the attitude of, ‘What can I give to God today?’ Or, ‘How can I serve God’s people today? When’s the last time you deliberately set out to bring something to God on the Lord’s day and to serve His people? When’s the last time you gave yourself unreservedly to the Lord in service and submission? When’s the last time you actually prayed for opportunities to give and to serve?

 

I wonder if we really believe that putting a few lousy dollars in the collection plate (or worse, a few coins we scrambled together out of our wallet or purse) actually fulfils our Christian duty. I wonder if we lie to ourselves, thinking we’ve done our bit by giving to God so sacrificially from the dregs of our wallets and purses.

 

I wonder if we need to rethink our entire attitude towards Church and each other.

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray that your congregation would be filled with believers who go to church to give to God first and fore most and who, secondly, go to serve and give to each other. Pray that churches across the land would be filled with givers, not takers.

¥ Pray that we would see a groundswell of committed sacrificial tithing and offering to the Lord so that as a church we can support the needy and the poor and aid those who are desperate for help.