Sacrificial Giving Unto The Lord!
The topic of giving of our finances to the House of God has come under fire in recent times. It is an attitude that questions why we ought to give to the House of God. The answer is quite simple and understandable, both from a natural perspective and a spiritual perspective. We all probably live in homes that we are paying off a mortgage for, except if we own the home. Even when we own the home, extensions and additions become necessary and these require finances to accomplish. In the same way, according to God’s Word those who attend that local house and get their Spiritual nourishment from it must contribute towards the welfare and upkeep of that house, just as we do our own homes!
Psalm 27:6 “And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.”
When we give, not just out of our wealth, but as a sacrifice it counts as a credit with God, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God, that opens God’s riches to meet our needs. Note, God requires from us a SACRIFICE OF JOY. This sacrifice is one that we ought to carry out with joy, simply because we don’t have to kill anything anymore, except the sinful nature of our very beings. Jesus Himself gave Himself a ransom for many! Making the ultimate sacrifice that God required as payment for the sins of the world. The sacrifice we are required to make pales in comparison to the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf. Yet, there are so many so-called Christians that will refuse to give to God, yet they have no problems in spending on anything and everything that satisfies their own needs and wants!
Ephesians 4:17-18 “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” Paul describes the offering that was given to him as a ‘fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.’” Everything we do in God’s Work is connected and establishes who we are and how we respond to what God requires of us. We can profess to be Christians – but refuse to allow Christ to rule and dictate in our lives. Or we can submit to His will and authority over our lives and live in obedience to His commands.
Those are the only two perspectives we can choose from. Either we live to ourselves because our spiritual eyes have been blinded and all we see is the natural order of things, or we can live by faith and believe God’s Word to be inspired and the only truth by which we are to live by. This causes us to become those who live by faith – or in other words, ‘the faithful.’ If we are not living lives that reflect sacrificial giving, we are living outside the economy of God’s Word. It is only when we trust God and believe all that He says regarding who we are in Him, that we are truly ‘Children of God!’ Remember that ‘action speaks louder than words.’ It is easy to say we love the Lord or to profess to others that He is all that we need and desire. But when we put ourselves before Him that tells a totally different story. A story that we will have to give an account for on that great and terrible Day! A sacrificial life today will speak on your behalf on that Day!?
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