Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Monday, February 17, 2014

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."¹

The story is told about an old fashioned preacher who was preaching up a storm as he proclaimed with great enthusiasm, "Let the church walk!"

An old-timer sitting on the front pew was equally enthusiastic. He blurted out for all to hear, "Amen! Preacher. Let the church walk!"

With even greater enthusiasm the preacher responded, "Let the church run!"

"Amen!" responded the brother on the front pew, "Let the church run!"

Being greatly encouraged, the preacher cried out even more enthusiastically, "Let the church fly!"

"Amen," hollered back the man on the front pew, "Let the church fly!"

"But," said the preacher, "It takes money to make the church fly!"

"AMEN," shouted the old timer again, "Let the church walk!"

People all around us are lost. Vast numbers are headed for a lost eternity, without Jesus and without hope, to the place the Bible calls: "hell." Whatever and wherever hell is, of one thing we can be sure and that is that hell is forever!

The reality is that it takes money to do God's work on earth—to rescue people from hell. So many of us, at least in the West, have unbelievable resources compared to so much of the rest of the world and it has been said that less than 5% of us tithe of our income!

God has given us so much. He gave his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us to give us the gift of eternal life. And in the West, at least, he has given us incredible resources. And why has God given us these resources? For selfish ends? No. So we would be equipped to do God's work around the world.

It has been said that God's work done in God's way will not lack God's provision. However, God's way is to fund his work through the tithes and offerings of his people. But if the givers don't give, the doers can't do, and the laborers in the field can't sow or reap!

If every Christian tithed there would be sufficient funds to do all of God's work around the world.

Our check (cheque) book stubs are a pretty good indication of how grateful we are to God for all that he has done for us and an accurate indication of where our hearts are.

God is calling every one of us to give and to give wisely to what God is doing in the world today! "For," as Jesus said, "with the measure you use, it will be measured to you," and "the Lord loves a cheerful giver!"

Suggested prayer. "Dear God please give me a thankful heart for all that You have done for me. Help me to be a generous giver and not just a taker. Forgive me if in any way I have robbed You of your tithes and offerings that You have entrusted to me. I choose today to put You first in my giving. Help me always to remember that 'the tithe' (10% at least) is Yours. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Luke 6:38 (NIV).

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