In This Issue:
Give
A “Giving” Testimony
Giving
Put the Money in His Hand
Un-voluntary
Keeping Money
Volume: 950 March 25, 2024
Theme: Giving
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“Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” Matthew 17:27
One of the biggest blessings of being a Christian is seeing how God takes care of His own. Seeing Him meet needs establishes concretely how real He is.
Many spend much energy trying to justify why they should not and do not give sacrificially to the Lord. They miss seeing how God will provide for their needs.
I have noticed quite often that those who have justified robbing God by not giving their tithes (Malachi 3:8) also have the most financial problems. Some tried to talk me out of giving by faith to my local church. They justified not giving because they supposedly “knew” the Scriptures better than I did. They accused me of being foolish when I gave money to the ministry when I could not afford to. Those people never got to the point where they ignored human reasoning and lived by faith.
I am so glad I did not let them influence me. When I got saved, I soon learned about tithing (giving at least 10% of what God had allowed one to earn) from my daily devotions and good preaching on the subject.
I gave sacrificially when giving was extremely difficult because of my low economic level. Not once did I ever miss a bill. I never was even late when I tithed. I always got to see how God met my needs because there was no other way as far as the “world” saw, but through His help. When the needs were most urgent, He always provided in an unexpected manner.
In verse 25, a “tribute” was due to be paid by Jesus. Sometimes, a “tribute” was a temple tax or a gift to the Lord. Here, I believe it was a government tax, as it was mentioned that “kings of the earth” were collecting it. It was a need to pay Jesus’ tax.
The disciples and Jesus had no guaranteed salary or a well-stocked bank account. They lived day-by-day through God’s provision of their “daily bread”.
When it came time to pay their taxes, an important need, Jesus told Peter to work for it. Peter obeyed, went down to the water’s edge, threw in a hook, and caught a fish. Peter reached into the fish’s mouth and, imagine that, pulled out of it a coin that was enough to pay their tribute.
Coincidence? Unlikely! It was God’s way of providing what they needed. If they had had a large savings account and had just taken out the money they needed, they would have missed seeing how God had taken care of them — an important lesson to learn if one is to grow spiritually.
With the economy being in a terrible mess, more and more people are finding it hard to pay bills. This is not the time to stop giving to God, but rather a time to give more faithfully and then see how the mighty hand of God will provide!
“Although a new Christian and a single parent, I soon started tithing. One Sunday, my pastor encouraged all to participate in “Give It All Sunday.”
“I struggled with that request. ‘How in the world could I afford to give all I earned that week? I do not make much, am on a strict budget, and barely can make ends meet now. I have expenses most do not have.’
“Soon, however, I succumbed to the Holy Spirit’s desire to step out by faith and put all I earned in the offering plate that Sunday. By the grace of God, I somehow made all my financial obligations, although I had no savings to help me, and never missed a bill. When we live by faith, God WILL be there to do the impossible! Trust Him.” — Bill Brinkworth
A “Giving” Testimony
Norman Gartin
When I was a new Christian, I sat in the DMV with another man from my church. My friend said he couldn’t tithe because he couldn’t afford to with all the car repairs and his being on state assistance. My response to him was that I couldn’t afford not to tithe, seeing I was also out of work and trusting the Lord to provide.
He and his wife later went on to divorce. Their lives were in a constant spiral down and away from God. My wife and I have been married for over 35 years, and our children serve the Lord. I wonder if there is a relationship between our attitude on tithing and where we ended up years later. We both sat in the same church and heard the same teaching but with different ears.
“Some people don’t give their money because they worship the dollar, and they don’t want to give away their ‘god’.” — Bill Brinkworth
The sun gives ever; so the Earth,
What it can give so much ‘tis worth;
The ocean gives in many ways;
Gives paths, gives fishes, rivers, bays;
So, too, the air, it gives us breath;
When it stops giving comes in death.
Give, give, be always giving;
Who gives not is not living.
The more you give,
The more you live.
God’s love hath to us wealth upheaped;
Only by giving it is reaped.
The body withers, and the mind,
If pent in by selfish rind,
Give strength, give thought, give deeds, give pelf,
Give love, give tears, and give thyself;
Who gives not is not living.
The more we give,
The more we live.
(* “pelf” is money or riches.)
“You give but a little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” — K. Gibran
Put the Money in His Hand
Author Unknown
A pastor was taking a missionary offering. He said, “I want each of you to give today as though you were putting your money right into the pierced hand of Jesus Christ.”
A lady came up afterward and said to him, “I was going to give a dollar, but I didn’t do so.”
“Why didn’t you give it?” the preacher asked her.
“Do you think,” replied the lady, “I would put a dollar into His pierced hand? I have a hundred dollars at home, and I will give that.”
If you were putting money into the pierced hand of our Lord, our contributions would amount to millions instead of thousands, and the world would be evangelized in our generation!
“Giving is the secret of a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a man has of encouragement, sympathy, and understanding.” — J. D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Un-voluntary Giving
Author Unknown
A summer boarder asked the farmer, “How much milk does that cow give?”
“Wal,” the farmer replied, “ef ye mean by voluntary contribooshun, she don’t give none. But ef ye kin get her cornered, so’s she can’t kick none to hurt, an able-bodied man kin take away about ‘eleven quarts a day from her.”
When it comes to giving, are not many like Farmer Applegate’s cow?
“God has given us two hands — one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.” — Graham
It is foolish to allow our hearts to lean upon any earthly good, which may soon perish. It is like putting all one’s money into the coat pocket, which a clever thief may empty.
A great man once told a youth to empty his purse into his head if he wished to keep his money safely; meaning that a good education would be the best and surest investment for his little capital.
Let us lay up our treasure where it will be safe, namely, in the graces of the soul, the love of God, and for our eternity in Heaven if we are saved.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
“You do not have to be rich to be generous. If one has the spirit of true generosity, a pauper can give like a prince.” — Wells