GIVING

ALOHA FAMILY AND FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,  John 3:16

GIVING,    “WORTH CONSIDERING”     5/23/19     (Across my desk a few days ago from Joel.)

Today’s Scripture
“…the righteous give generously.”  (Psalm 37:21, NIV)

Give Generously
Did you know that when you give to others in need, the Bible says it’s like giving directly to God Himself? When you step out and bless other people, you are honoring and blessing the Lord. The Scripture tells us to give our best, to give generously. In other words, stretch yourself. Go out of your way. It may be uncomfortable to walk over and pay for someone’s gas, but that’s being generous.

I encourage you today, look for ways to give generously and meet the needs of others. You can’t help everyone, but you can help someone. You can be the answer to someone’s prayers. Remember, people have many different types of needs. There may be someone who needs some encouragement. Give generously when you give that encouragement. There may be someone in your life that just needs a friend; they need some quality time. Give generously of your time and pour into that person. As you give generously to others, God will multiply those seeds in your own life in return!

A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, today I am releasing every negative thing that has happened to me. I’m forgiving every person who has hurt me. I’m forgiving myself for mistakes I’ve made and releasing every disappointment so that I can live in Your peace and victory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

My Thoughts:
This topic really needs some serious consideration.   So lets start with the concept that the Church of Christ Jesus began after HIS resurrection when the apostles were gathered in the Upper Room recorded in John 20:21-29.  This is when the Apostles became Born from Above, Christians as per Rom. 10:9-10.  And after 50 days the one and only Church of Christ Jesus was started by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  So this was the official beginning of the New Testament or the New Will as per the book of Hebrews. 

So any teaching for giving must come from the New Testament.  I have yet to find some one who can confirm tithing out of the teachings for the Church in the New Testament?   When I came to Christ Jesus for salvation in 1955 HE required for me to make HIM 100% Lord not 10%….  We have been taught the concept that we give God 10% and we get to do what we want to with the remaining 90%…  That is not a New Testament principle.  Christ Jesus is LORD of all or not LORD at all.  Salvation belongs to the faithful who make Christ Jesus LORD of all.  The New Testament teaches that if any soul be in Christ that they are a new creation.  It is a life changing event. Many try to make Christ Jesus only Savior like buying fire insurance and it does not work. 

 Rom.7:6 teaches us,  ⁶ 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.  The New Testament teaches that what we sow we reap.  So it then giving becomes a matter of how big is your faith.   It also teaches this in 2 Cor.9: “⁶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  ⁷ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

So don’t allow anyone to manipulate you back under the Old Testament law,  that was fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ Jesus.  Now we walk by faith in the freedom that Christ Jesus has given us in our hearts.  So give as there is a loving Godly vision and joy in doing so.  Not one word in the New Testament about building anything or being tied to a maintenance program or supporting pastors/elders/bishops/overseers.  In the Early Church gifts and offerings went to help with evangelism and to feed the poor.  The Churches were in the homes.

Much more in the New Testament about this Freedom in GIVING but up to you.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><

(Check our Home Page www.Trinity-Aloha.org for more topics under: “WORTH CONSIDERING.”)