To Give or Not To Give...

These verses are written about building the Temple in the Wilderness and it happens After the children were disobedient and broke off their ear rings and made the molten calf to worship as their god. All of that gold was ground to powder and scattered upon the water, and the Bible says Moses then made them drink the water.

Now chapters and who knows how much time later, the children are called to bring their offerings to build the house of God. These were all the things from the spoil of Egypt. Some chose to squander it on their own lusts and make themselves an image of idolitry. Others kept it, and now had the opportunity to use it for the house of the Lord God.

How many who broke off their earrings for the golden calf were now unable to give to the house of God? How many had regret and remorse at their 20/20 hindsight now realizing they could have no part in the monetary giving?

Application:

We have the spoils of Egypt too. God- the same God that brought Israel out of Egypt- brings us out of this world and gives us blessings in abundance.

Then we have a choice.

Do we build His house, or squander it on idols and the lusts in our life?

Do we tithe or buy the new dress?

Ok, make it a little more like the situation for some people....

Do we tithe and truly put ourselves in a position of faith because now we seriously don't even have sufficient money for groceries?

Wow. That might look a lot like FaiTH!!

Let's put it in terms that are more likely the case for most of us in the good 'ol USA.

Do we tithe and not get the acrylic nails, cappuccinos, flip flops in every color, 1/2k diamond earrings, hilights, lowlights, theater tickets, chrome rims, ....... You get my point.

OK, say you are tithing. I think the statistic is 10% of Bible believing Christians tithe, so to you.

I think a good question is, should God ask you to give to His kingdom up and above, could you if your heart was willing? Have you increased your living standard to your level of income, and now couldn't give more because of Master Card and Sallie Mae? A quote that has stuck with me and haunted me more than a few times...

"God does not prosper you in order to increase your standard of living, but to increase your standard of giving."

Do we even begin to understand what it means to live in light of Eternity??

Graduation!

June 9th, 2012 Josiah

On Fire...

There is a phrase people often say that has never set well with me for whatever reason. I understand the premise of it... to be spent, used completely, nothing left, leave it all on the table. But in the context of spiritual truth and Biblical precedent, I disagree that "I want to burn out for Christ".

Semantics, maybe. But true none the less.

Last Wednesday night I had the privilege to sit at church and be preached to by a young 20 year old man that I have known since before his birthday. His mother and I were pregnant at the same time- my oldest, her third born. He has always been a good kid, but now he is a man of God that can preach!

His message was about Rack, Shack and Benny out of Daniel 3. (Not their real names... they have been changed because I love veggie tales to protect their identity.) His whole message was a plea for us to not believe the Lie of the flesh and the world that we are bound in our sin. He passionately presented the facts that while the three men were "bound" before they were put into the fire, the ONLY thing that the fire had an effect on were their bindings!

Those boys were obedient to God, and still they faced the trial of CHOOSING to obey God at the RISK of their life. They chose to OBEY.  Their obedience to God DIRECTLY caused a trial in their life. They were put in a fiery furnace fully meant to and completely able to consume them. To burn them up!

Every one of us as the opportunity to KNOW God. In knowing God, we then have the choice... will we obey? When we obey, we may (more likely in this day and age as well!) suffer persecution for righteousness. (And get a crown, by the way!)

Will we till obey?! We are given the opportunity to PROVE our LOVE to God.

"I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love." II Corinthians 8:8

If we - because of obedience to God, suffer a fiery trial, we will certainly experience some heat, but the only thing that may be burned are our bindings, or the dross that makes the Gold and Silver of our works for Christ less pure. Let the wrong motives and selfish desires be purified in the fire, and then give God glory in the knowledge that you are being made into the image of our dear Savior!

So do I want to Burn Out for Christ? No, I don't think I do.

Do I however want to be placed into the Lord's burning fire of testing and trial? No, not in my flesh I don't. But that is where the verses of me taking up my cross daily and dying to what my flesh wants come in.

Do I want to be as pure Gold and Silver at the coming of my Savior or at His calling me home? YES!

So let the trials come, because they will whether I ask for them or not!

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" I Peter 4:12

Trials WILL Come! But every trial will only bring God's perfect intended result if I submit, surrender and obey.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. " Ephesians 6:16