GIFTS & OFFERINGS

GIFTS & OFFERINGS    “WORTH CONSIDERING”   3/23/20    
     
Today’s Scripture.  (In my e-mails this morning from a Texas mega Church.)
“…Bring all the tithe into the storehouse…and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it…”  (Malachi 3:10, NKJV)

When You Have “the Blessing”
When you honor God with your life, He puts a blessing on you that gives you an advantage. Today’s Scripture doesn’t say “blessings,” plural; it says “blessing,” singular. When you have “the blessing,” all kinds of blessings will come. It causes you to rise up when circumstances are pushing you down and to prosper when others are struggling. It’s not just because of your skill, talent, and determination. There is a force behind you that is fighting your battles, bringing the right people into your life, opening doors you can’t open.

Don’t discount yourself. David went out with a slingshot and a few stones and defeated Goliath. What you have may seem small compared to what you’re up against, but a slingshot with the blessing is more powerful than a tank without it. Your talent may seem small compared to the dream God put in your heart, but that talent with the blessing will take you further than you can imagine.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the blessing on my life, thank You for breathing in my direction, thank You for taking me where I couldn’t go on my own. Thank You that You have levels that I’ve never fathomed. I believe I haven’t touched the surface of what’s in store. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts,
When I receive a note like this I have mixed feeling.  When an Old Testament scripture is applied like it belongs in the New Testament without New Testament validation it makes folks feel under the LAW.   Paul teaches it this way: “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Rom. 7:6.  And in Hebrews it is like this: “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”Heb.7:19.  “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” Heb.8:10.   “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb 10:1.   

So the Tithe was an Old Testament Law of not only 10% but additional percentages as well but under the LAW it was difficult to teach the blessing of giving.  And it gave the impression that what remained was personal ownership and the owner had freedom to do with it as they wanted.

In the New Testament the Elect are taught that we are to submit 100% of who we are and what we have the Christ Jesus as LORD and to be guided by the HOLY SPIRIT as to what we are to do with GOD’S blessing of not only our lives but our substance as well.  We have been purchased with the precious blood of Christ Jesus and are bound to HIM for eternity.  Our life is no longer our own to do with as we will.  Paul teaches giving in this way: “[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [[a]that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.  7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He [b] takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful ( joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].  8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and [c] earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need [d] be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].

So in my understanding of the New Testament, that the law never worked, it only told the folks what sin was but it did not help them through love to avoid it.  In fact their vain traditions made the Word of God, ineffective.  So today if you think you are a Christian and do not have a heart of compassion for the lost to share God’s love in HIS redemption by word, thought and deed I would be very concerned about your salvation.  If you think by giving 10% you have done your duty to God ,  you really don’t understand the New Testament Will of Christ Jesus.  Before your life is over you would be well advised to deep read John, Acts, Romans, Hebrews and Jude again for meaning.  You can not go by what you have been taught from the pulpit.  The different denomination will all say they are the right one.   But if you read John 17 concerning the Lord’s Prayer concerning Unity then none of them truly measure up.  And if there is no power in the Holy Spirit for helping folks,  Paul tell us to go someplace else in 2 Tim 3.  It really upsets me to go to a so called church and be shaken down financially by the use of the Old Testament when we are taught in the Book of Hebrews: “By this the Holy Spirit points out that the way into the [true Holy of] Holies is not yet thrown open as long as the former [the outer portion of the] (LAW) tabernacle remains a recognized institution and is still standing,  9 Seeing that that first [outer portion of the] tabernacle was a parable (a visible symbol or type or picture of the present age). In it gifts and sacrifices are offered, and yet are incapable of perfecting the conscience or of cleansing and renewing the inner man of the worshiper.  10 For [the ceremonies] deal only with clean and unclean meats and drinks and different washings, [mere] external rules and regulations for the body imposed to tide the worshipers over until the time of setting things straight [of reformation, of the complete new order when Christ, the Messiah, shall establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant ].

So now, in Christ Jesus we are living in that time of the New Order of Heart Change for those who want to come into humility and obedience from the heart to be joined with God’s family.  We are no longer under external laws but by the Holy Spirit are being changed to be like Jesus.