GIVING JOYFULLY

ALOHA FAMILY AND FRIENDS, Beloved of God

GIVING: JOYFULLY    “WORTH CONSIDERING”   3/7/19   (Across my desk from Joel, this morning.)
  
Today’s Scripture
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”  (1 John 3:17–18, ESV)

Love Indeed
You are the hands and feet of Jesus in the earth. The Lord wants to bless you today so that you can be a blessing to others. He wants to work through you to show His love and compassion. Notice this verse tells us that love isn’t just about our words or thoughts, it’s about our actions. Love is about reaching out and meeting the needs of others. Sometimes meeting someone’s needs is as simple as a smile or sharing a word of encouragement. There are many ways to show the love of God. Can you pay for someone’s gas or groceries? Do you see a need in someone’s life that you can meet? Look for ways to put your love into action. The Bible says that it’s His kindness that leads people to repentance, and the Lord wants to show His kindness in the earth through you.

A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your hand of blessing in my life. Thank You for choosing to work through me today. I submit myself and my resources to You. Show me ways to be a blessing to others so that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

My Comments:
There are several issues here concerning giving that need our attention.   First,  Tithing is an Old Testament Principle and is not supported by the New Testament, at all.  The reason being that in the N.T. the Holy Spirit has moved the amount from 10% to 100% for Christians.  And has taken the issue of giving out of the LAW and placed it into being guided by the Holy Spirit in love and joy. 

In 2 Cor.9:6-8 Paul writes this:   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 we are free to,  under the direction of the Holy Spirit,  walk in freedom and not feel obligated to try to fix every financial problem that we find around us.   We only need to do what really brings us joy in doing in our own heart.   If you try to help someone going through the sowing and reaping process of making bad choices it would be a waste of time and money.  And I deeply detest it when someone tries to put me under a guilt trip to squeeze some money out of me because of their bad decisions or lack of humility in getting a job,  any job.   In fact the N.T. scriptures are very clear here:

2 Thess. 3:10:   For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  1 Tim. 5:8:  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 

So no one is under the LAW to have to give.  We are to be guided by the Holy Spirit to give of our time and money as it gives us joy in doing so.  It is a joy for me to publish “WORTH CONSIDERING” even though I rarely receive any comments. 
Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><
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