Tag: generosity

Politics, Salvation, and Tzedakah

*2 Kings 15-16

*Psalm 67

*2 Corinthians 9

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN) 

            The books of Kings read like a fast paced ancient soap opera, with lots of betrayals, fighting, and excitement.  In the short span of these two chapters in 2 Kings from today’s reading we see 9 different shifts of political power, including 1 guy that only lasted a month in the job (1Ki 15:13-14). There’s a LOT going on here.  These books let us know right off if we like a guy or if we don’t, as one of the first lines describing every ruler who takes power in either Israel or Judah (this was the time of the split kingdoms) says something along the lines of “…And he did what was right in the sight of Yahweh” or “…And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh” (LSB translation used for both quotes).  These books were always very interesting to me as a kid, because of all the excitement going on.

            Our modern politics get a little exciting too, occasionally.  I remember during the last American election it seemed like there was a very strong delineation in ideological beliefs, with some folks heavily leaning in one direction and some folks leaning heavily in the other.  I’m going to share my favorite verse on politics because I think it’s important to keep in mind what kingdom we aspire to be citizens of.  This is a good one to memorize, it’s found in Isaiah 8:11-13 and states:

            “11For thus Yahweh spoke to me with a strong hand and disciplined me not to walk           

              in the way of this people, saying,

       12“You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’

In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy;

And you are not to fear what they fear, and you shall not tremble.

       13It is Yahweh of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your cause of trembling.” (LSB Translation)

            Focus on the important things, in other words.  So sure, things might be getting exciting in the local political arena.   There may be mud slinging, drama, excitement, slander, conspiracies, etc going on, but what we need to remember politically is that God’s got this.  All these things will happen according to God’s will, and God’s plan, and we know according to scripture that it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.  Don’t get too caught up in it.  I’m not saying don’t vote, or care, I’m saying our focus needs to be on God.  It does not behoove us as followers of Christ to focus overmuch in the politics of this kingdom, but rather to focus on seeking first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. 

            I did want to briefly point out a verse in our Psalms reading today, because it’s just so cool.  I have mentioned this in passing before, but the name of Jesus (Yehushua, or Yeshua for short) means literally “salvation” or “Yahweh saves”.  So when we get to our reading  in Ps 67:2 today it says “That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation (יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ , “Yeshuateka”) among all the nations.”.  It literally is telling us that God’s Yeshua will be known among all the nations.  Read that in context with the entire chapter.  This is the ultimate foreshadowing.  Pretty cool, isn’t it?!  For a similar use of Yeshua in prophetic foreshadowing also check out Isaiah 49:6.  He reveals to us His plans in advance, it’s pretty awesome.

            We’re going to really focus in on our 2 Corinthians 9 reading today and being a good steward of the blessings that God’s given you, because it very much highlights a concept that is critical but largely ignored in the Christian community, and I firmly believe that it is a necessary information/practice (based on a number of scriptures) to enter into God’s kingdom, so please take note!  This is probably going to be a new word for you, but what I’m talking about is Tzedakah.  A (bad) translation of Tzedakah would be “Charity”, but that doesn’t come even close to covering the full flavor or meaning of the term.  Here’s (some of) what Wikipedia says about it (and I encourage you to look this up yourself as well, there are even some Youtube videos on the subject):

WIKIPEDIA: “…Tzedakah (Tzedaka) refers to the religious obligation to do what is right and just, which Judaism emphasizes as an important part of living a spiritual life. Unlike voluntary philanthropy, tzedakah is seen as a religious obligation that must be performed regardless of one’s financial standing, and so is mandatory even for those of limited financial means.  Tzedakah is considered to be one of the three main acts that can positively influence an unfavorable heavenly decree.

The word tzedakah is based on the Hebrew (צדק‎,Tzedeq), meaning

“righteousness, fairness,or justice

            The concept of tzedaka is completely intertwined with the concepts of righteousness, equity, mercy, and justice: so much so that you can almost substitute each word with one of the others listed above when you see any of them in the scriptures, if tzedeq is the root word (it usually is).  There are hundreds of instances like this in scripture, but most of the time we translate it into english as “Righteousness”, or “Justice” and completely ignore the deeper spiritual aspect of “Mercy”, but they are all inseparably intertwined!  Charity isn’t what it’s talking about, specifically.  I’ll try to elaborate a little for a better understanding.

            God has given you an abundance of gifts.  He has given these gifts to each of us in varying degrees, but all blessings have come from God (James 1:17).  You didn’t earn that, God gave it to you. Everything and everyone on this earth belongs to God, and He has chosen to share some with you (Ps 24:1).  Now if you think that God gave you that blessing so you could hoard it up and lord it over your fellow creation (like most of us tend to think nowadays) you would be 100% wrong: He gave us gifts so that we could share them and by so doing honor our God. 

            Jesus himself actually commands us to “give to any who ask” in Matt 5:42.  This is not  about charity, this is about radical generosity as a proof of your faith, rooted in the trust of God’s provison and a desire to honor Him and reflect His unconditional love to the rest of your fellow creation.  This is an opportunity to model a working faith and trust in our God.  This is not an option.  See James 5:1-5, and begin to understand in no uncertain terms that this is a command by God.  It is God’s expectation of you that when your cup runneth over, you splash it around, in other words.  As an indication of importance, each of our other sister religions, our fellow “Children of the Book” (consisting of Jews, Christians, and Muslims), each have a word and a religious requirement to do this.  Oddly, we don’t.  Please, do not let the money you’ve kept in your pockets weigh you down so much that you can’t enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Which kingdom are you more focused on, the one you’re living in, or the one coming?  Follow up question: How’s that working out for you?
  2. Do you currently practice tzedakah (even if you didn’t know the word, before)? Why?
  3. How can we do better?

PRAYER

Father God, from Your generous hand has come all of our many blessings, which we have not deserved or earned.   Father, forgive us the times when we have been selfish, and help us to change our hearts to become better servants and an example of Your love to those around us, to everyone we know and to everyone we meet.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Generosity of Heart

  

2 Kings 13-14 

Psalm 67            

2 Corinthians 8

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

The Corinthian church was composed of a majority of Gentiles.  Corinth had been a Greek city and now was a Roman city. All the administration and customs there were Roman, and the culture was Greek and Roman combined.  The city was a very rich place by all accounts of that time because of the trade and transportation that went through it from both sides of the peninsula that it was located on.  The culture of that time was very religious, and it was not a question of believing in god, but what gods and when were the questions.  Also the city was full of the Greek philosophers such as the Stoics, Epicurians, Cynics, and others.  Giving and sacrifice was part of all these systems of pagan worship and thought.

Paul had advised the Corinthians about giving and its importance and position in the worship of daily life towards God.  We see evidence of what he taught them in Romans 16:1-4.  The flow of money and help was from the Gentile churches who had received the Word of Truth from the apostles and prophets of the early church, to the work that was centered in Jerusalem.  The church leaders there were James the brother of Jesus, as well as Peter and John.  Paul and Barnabas meeting with them is recorded in the book of Acts chapter 15 where the questions of the law and circumcision for the Gentiles were discussed and then settled with the apostles there.

Giving is a simple and at the same time complex question that we need to understand and teach.  The tithes of the law do not apply to us now in the same way as in the Old Testament so there is no direct formula to follow.  We need to see that true Christian generosity comes from the heart of the believer.  First we are fully committed to Christ, and then our heart needs to change to be fully committed to the care of others both inside the church and outside of it.  Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 16 the “how” of our giving, and in 2 Corinthians 8-9 the “why” of our giving.

1 Corinthians 16:1-4(NLT) Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 3 When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. 4 And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.

Great advice about the “how” to do it part of the commitment to give.  We say “give to God” but there really isn’t any way that we can do that.  We can give out of our finances, resources and time to people and organizations but not directly to God.  God has no need of anything that we could possibly have or give to Him.  Everything that we have or possess is because of His grace and love.  Our finances, talents and abilities are all tools that can be utilized in our walk.  What he does ask us to do is to be conscious and generous about how we treat others in Christ, and those in need.  

What is your first reaction when you see a need in the church?

What is your first reaction when you see a need in another believer’s life?  

How about the unbeliever?

This gets difficult to figure out at times.  Giving to my direct church body in Blanchard is easy to figure out.  Giving to the General Conference is another easy choice.  Then there are direct gifts of money or time for those in need that we are directly related or connected with.  Then there are organizations outside the COGGC that may merit our help or financial support.  Paul once again gives us great advice on “why” of our giving in 2 Corinthians 8:8-15.  

2 Corinthians 8:8-12(NLT) I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. 9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. 10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.

Paul once again puts financial giving into perspective for us.  We should be eager and willing to walk in truth, knowledge, faith and love.  And to this also Paul shows that our Christian giving is important.  It is not an obligation but rather a choice that we should make about our priorities and directions.  

2 Corinthians 8:13-15(NLT) Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,

and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

See also the record from Romans where Paul talks about the gifts and the direction of the flow of support to Jerusalem that is recorded in Acts 15. 

Romans 15:25-27(NLT) But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially

We don’t have a law of giving to follow, but the promise from God that those who sow generously will reap generously.  Recognition of the riches of our life that God has given us will change our perspective on our life, family, job, and church body.  This new godly perspective of our position and responsibilities will change us to be able to give with a generous heart and mind.  We will be able to do the good works that God has prepared for us to do in this life.

Reflection Questions

Can we truly do any good work that does not involve God?

If God calls us to do something won’t He give us the resources to do it?

Prayer

Father God, we put our hearts and hands into Yours.  Thank you for your great love to give us the bread of our need this day, and the resources to help others.  Bless the work of our hands, and the responses of our heart.  Be with us this day and help us to do the works You have called us to do.  In the name of Your Son Jesus Christ.

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Wounds from a Friend

Old Testament: 2 Kings 9 & 10

Poetry: Proverbs 27

New Testament: Luke 10:1-24

The Proverbs are, in many cases, fairly self explanatory. Don’t be lazy, don’t be a wicked ruler, don’t be foolish but be wise, be a righteous ruler, be diligent in your work. Each Proverb has it’s own meaning but they go along those lines. But some are not so self explanatory. They are counterintuitive.

A short example is found in 28:27. If you want to be prosperous and blessed, to never be in want, then we give our money to the poor. The world, our own sinful heads, and many economists believe that the way to grow our wealth and not be in want is to hoard our money. But that’s not the way God works. It is only in generosity and giving that we will be blessed. This comes from the fact that God will bless and many times he blesses us through the care of others in our time of struggle and hardship.

Also, 27:5-6 doesn’t seem to be true in the moment. I don’t like to be rebuked. I don’t like it when a friend calls me out on the garbage way I am acting. But the Proverb teaches us that we should delight when a friend rebukes us because their correction comes from a place of love and they want our life to be one of wisdom and righteousness. This is especially true for  our brothers and sisters in our local church. Many times, we may feel judged by the people of our church, but more often than not, they are wanting the BEST for us. The “wounds” they give are better than any kisses of those who tell us we have nothing wrong with us. There could be people who act like a friend and hurt you in terrible ways, but here we mean TRUE friendship, TRUE companionship, TRUE love from a brother or sister in Christ. That true love is shown in forgiveness and compassion, especially in our moments of weakness and humility. Many times, when we are sinning and are fearing the rebuke of those people, we hide our sin away, like 28:13 says. But counterintuitively, by hiding our sins, we only hurt ourselves more when they are brought to light in some other way. We need to confess our sins and turn away from them. When we do, compassion and forgiveness are waiting for us from the people of God and from God himself.

Jake Ballard

(originally posted for SeekGrowLove June 17, 2020)

Reflection Questions

  1. What other proverbs have you run across that seem counterintuitive and the opposite of how the world thinks or operates? How is God’s wisdom better than the world’s?
  2. Can you think of a time a true friend gave you correction or a rebuke? Can you think of a time you, as a true friend, gave correction or rebuke? What is the value of correcting a friend? What problems can develop if we don’t correct in love, or if we don’t accept the correction given in true love?
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Generous Givers

Illustrate Psalm 37:21 and introduce the devotion
Psalm 37:21 NLT

Old Testament: Leviticus 2 & 3

Poetry: Psalm 37

New Testament: Acts 5

Yesterday I touched on how one remedy for financial insecurity is to look to the future promises of prosperity for those who put their faith in the LORD. Our understanding of this future is to be the Kingdom of God. Psalms 37 also talks about how God helps his people in the here and now. We saw this briefly at the end of Acts 4. Today, we are going to discuss generous givers.

The church can be a very generous place. The example of pooling resources and caring for each other is set for us by the early church. It is discussed also in Psalm 37: “The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers” (verse 21 NLT). Having grown up in the church, I have heard many many stories of how God uses generous givers to care for and look after His people. I have been the recipient of such generosity several times in my life. Just last week, my sister-in-law surprised me by sending me money for my expensive prescription. We were at a birthday party and I was telling her of all the craziness it had been trying to track down this medication at a price I could attempt to afford. As we left the party, I looked at my phone and saw a notification. She had sent me the exact price for the prescription. I insisted she did not have to do that. She said “I know, but I felt like I should.” She felt God nudging her, and listened to the call. I have also tried, with my limited resources, to be generous to others. For example, before inflation got crazy and my dog got fat–needing a pricey special diet, I used to save $10 of every paycheck to give to my younger sister in college.

My grandparents, Scott and Gayle Ross, are the two most generous people I know. Psalms 37:26 reminds me of them: “The godly give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.” My grandparents are generous with more than just money, but their time, wisdom, love, home, and coffee. One Saturday morning I was dropping my dog off to stay with them as I had a long day of dance classes to teach. I remember frantically calling them to ask if they could prepare a to-go cup of coffee as I hadn’t time to make or get any before class. I rushed into their house, dropped off my dog, grabbed the coffee and hugged them both saying if there was one thing I can count on my grandparents for, it’s free coffee and free babysitting. Many times have my grandparents also been on the receiving end of generous givers. It is an endless beautiful cycle of generosity God has set for his people.

The generosity in Psalms 37 contrasts dramatically with the story of Ananias and Sapphira we read in Acts 5. It is important to note what Ananias and Sapphira’s sin was. This story is not meant to scare people into giving money to the church. Peter states, “The property was yours to sell or not to sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away.” (verse 4 NLT). Ananais and Sapphira’s sin was that they lied about how much money they were giving. The pair tried to elevate themselves and produce their own reward by gaining status in the church for being generous givers while still retaining some wealth. This is the opposite of what is described in Psalms 37:37, “Look at those who are honest and good for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.” It was not a lack of giving that caused God’s wrath on Ananias and Sapphira, but a lack of honesty.

Not everyone all the time can afford to be generous givers monetarily, but there are always ways we can be generous with each other. This could be donating our time and talents to the church, which we will look at more tomorrow. For now, I encourage you to reflect on the generous givers in your life, thank God for them, and ask God if there are ways in which you can be generous to others.

Special Note on Leviticus 2: In the instructions for grain offering it is listed that the bread be made without yeast. While this could be symbolic of the first passover, when the Israelites had to leave Egypt quickly and did not have time to put yeast in their bread, there is also a practical reason to leave out yeast. A bread that does not have yeast will last longer. Leviticus 2:10 explains how the remaining grain offering will be given to the priests as their food. Making this bread without yeast preserves it longer for the priests to consume. That is also why in Leviticus 2:13 God instructs his people to never leave salt from a grain offering, as salt is a preservative. The priests did not have regular jobs or land to farm. Their source of food came from the portion of the people’s offerings God allowed. In God’s infinite wisdom he instructs these offerings only be made in a way that ensures quality. How cool is that!

-Emilee Ross

Reflection Questions

  1. Who are some of the most generous people in your life? How have you seen them give? How can you thank them for their generosity?
  2. When did you generously give? How did it feel?
  3. What do you have to give right now? Who would you like to give to?
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Giving is Like a Garden

Old Testament Reading: Numbers 26 & 27

Psalms Reading: Psalm 72

*New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 9

Giving generously is like sowing seeds in a garden. Just as a farmer must plant a plentiful amount of seeds to reap a bountiful harvest, Christians must give generously to receive God’s blessings. In 2nd Corinthians 9, Paul emphasizes the importance of giving with a willing heart, not out of compulsion or obligation. When we give with a cheerful heart, it is like planting our seeds in rich soil, knowing that they will grow into a plentiful harvest.


Furthermore, just as a garden requires consistent care and attention, our giving requires consistent effort and a dedication to meeting the needs of others. Paul reminds us that our giving is not only an act of obedience to God but also a way to meet the needs of others. When we give generously, we are like gardeners tending to our plants, making sure they have enough water, sunlight, and nutrients to thrive. Our giving provides the necessary resources for those in need to grow and flourish.


Like a garden, our giving should also be done with a spirit of thanksgiving and praise. When we give with a joyful heart, we are like flowers blooming in the sun, displaying their vibrant colors and beauty. Giving generously not only blesses those in need but also brings glory and honor to God. It is like a garden bursting with life and color, a testament to the abundance of God’s grace and provision.


Finally, just as a garden produces a bountiful harvest, our giving produces a harvest of righteousness. When we give generously and joyfully, we are like farmers reaping a plentiful harvest, knowing that God’s blessings will overflow in our lives. Our giving is a tangible way to demonstrate our faith and commitment to following Christ’s example of selflessness and generosity.


In conclusion, 2nd Corinthians 9 teaches us that giving generously is like sowing seeds in a garden. Just as a garden requires consistent care and attention, our giving requires consistent effort and a dedication to meeting the needs of others. When we give with a cheerful heart, it is like planting our seeds in rich soil, knowing that they will grow into a plentiful harvest. May we be inspired by the simile of the garden to give generously and joyfully, trusting in God’s abundant provision and blessings.


-Austin Kizer

Questions for Reflection

  1. How can you cultivate a heart of generosity and joy in your giving?
  2. In what ways have you seen God bless your giving, whether it be in material provision or in the transformation of lives?
  3. What steps can you take to consistently care for and tend to the needs of those around you?
  4. What has God revealed about Himself in your Bible reading today?
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Cheerful Heart Giving

2 Corinthians 9

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Have you ever planted a tomato seed? What was going through your head when you buried it in the dirt? Were you wondering how this small speck of matter could ever turn into an ingredient for the perfect BLT?

What was your attitude when planting this seed? Where you already drooling over the image you had in your head of that BLT? Were you skeptical it would even grow? Or maybe it wasn’t your idea to plant it and you held a grudge that the task fell to you.

While Paul wasn’t writing to the Corinthians about tomatoes or BLTs in this chapter, he did parallel the similarity between tithing and sowing seeds. He wanted the Corinthians to give with a cheerful heart and not out of compulsion or with a heart that was holding a grudge because of giving.

Whether time or financially I feel like this can be a difficulty. There is always something else we could be doing with our time or something else we could be buying with our money. But the importance of giving our time or finances to the LORD is the attitude that we have when doing so.

If we plant that tomato seed with a heart of anger, we may not appreciate the process of watching God grow the seed we planted into a bountiful and beautiful tomato plant. Sure, we can plant it with anger and still enjoy the outcome of the BLT and maybe even that outcome is what will change our perspective next planting season. But the joy of watching God take what has been sown and multiply it into something that we could never even have imagined may be missed with a heart that is misplaced.

When planting a seed, whether time or money, with a cheerful heart we not only receive the opportunity to minister to others, we also are able to enjoy the process of the LORD multiplying it. In the end, when we harbor a cheerful heart for the LORD, the BLT will taste a whole lot better. 

-Hannah Deane

Application Questions

  1. What difference does the attitude make in either cheerful generosity or grudgingly given?
  2. Which attitude do you most often have when giving of your time? Or your finances? If there is a specific area in which you struggle to give cheerfully, how can you work towards improving that attitude?
  3. What do you gain when you give, especially with a good attitude, according to 2 Corinthians verses 6-15?
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Is it OK to be Rich?

More than a third of the world’s population lives on less than two dollars a day according to research done by the United Nations.  You might not consider yourself rich if you compare yourself to others in the United States (and many other countries), but most or all of you are probably quite rich when looking at the whole world.  Is it ok to be rich?

Let’s first consider Solomon, the richest king that ever was.  God gave him wealth, possessions, and honor such as no king before or after him (2 Chronicles 1:12).  God made Solomon rich, so the good news is that we have an example of someone who was very rich and it was ok in God’s eyes.

Being rich may be ok, but the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-24 received advice from Jesus that made him sad.  Jesus told him if he wanted to be perfect, he should sell his possessions and give to the poor.  He then told his disciples that it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom.  Jesus had more to say about the matter in Luke 6:20-26.  He said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”  He went on to say, “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.”  Jesus was warning us that being rich could interfere with your salvation.

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 says that whoever loves money never has enough, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income, and this is meaningless.  It also says that the abundance of the rich permits them no sleep.  However, it also says that it is appropriate for a person to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their labor during the few days God has given them.  It explains that it is a gift from God when He gives someone wealth, possessions, and the ability to enjoy them.

This may be a bit confusing to hear that wealth can be good or bad.  I think it all boils down to your attitude and how you spend your money.  If money is your master, you are always wanting and trying to get more, and you spend it all on yourself; that is bad.  If you realize that your money comes from God, is actually owned by God, and is not the focus of your life, it is fine to enjoy that gift from God from time to time.

I now want to change gears a bit here and talk about yesterday’s devotion on tithing a bit more.  I said it was not mentioned in the New Testament that we should tithe.  However, there are two verses in the New Testament (Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42) that talk about the Pharisees giving a tenth of their spices and Jesus scolding them for neglecting justice, mercy, faithfulness, and the love of God, and saying they should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.  I do not consider these two verses a mandate for us today to tithe ten percent of our earnings, although I can see how it can be interpreted that way.  These individuals were giving a tenth of their spices and Jesus said they should continue to do that.  If they had said they were fasting, I think Jesus might have told them to continue to do that, but I don’t think that necessarily means we all must fast today.

I could be wrong about this, but I don’t think the ten percent tithe is a specific rule we must follow today like the many rules they were required to follow in the Old Testament.  However, I definitely believe we should be giving money to the church, and I think it would be fine to look at what they were instructed to do and model that by giving ten percent of your earnings to the church.  I also believe it is possible that God wants some people to give more than ten percent.

Paul never discussed tithing ten percent, but he did talk about giving.  In 2 Corinthians 8:3, he said the Macedonians gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.  In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 he says, “Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  In Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he told them that they should set aside a sum of money in keeping with their income on the first day of every week (1 Corinthians 16:2).  I think if it was still a rule to tithe ten percent, Paul would have mentioned it, but instead he talked about giving with the proper attitude and according to your income.

-Rick McClain

Today’s 2021 Bible reading plan passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway.com here – Isaiah 55-56 and 2 Timothy 3

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To Tithe or Not to Tithe

Our discussion this week about money would not be complete without talking about tithing.  Many believe that we should be giving ten percent of our earnings to the church, which is called tithing.  I must admit that I was very surprised when I researched the topic of money to find that it was not mentioned in the New Testament that we should tithe.  Does that mean we are not required to tithe anymore?

Let’s start with some Old Testament history.  Tithing was a practice back then (Malachi 3:8-12), but if you think you should be following the guidance from the Old Testament, you need to read about all the ways to give money to the church.  I won’t go into great detail, but there were some pretty elaborate rules about giving.  Check out Deuteronomy 14:22-29, Numbers 18:21-32, Numbers 18:8-11, and especially Leviticus 27:1-21.  For example, in Leviticus, if anyone dedicates their house to the Lord, a priest will judge its quality and set a value on it.  If the homeowner wants the house back, they can redeem it by adding a fifth to its value.  You could also dedicate people to the Lord by giving an equivalent value.  A male between the ages of twenty and sixty was valued at fifty shekels of silver, while a female between one month and five years was valued at three shekels of silver.  Of course, we are not under the Old Testament law anymore, so these rules are not in place anymore, including tithing.

Again, the talk of tithing is absent in the New Testament so what should we do about giving money to the church?  I don’t believe there is an exact calculation to follow so I am going to give you my opinion about what should happen.  First, we do not need to follow Old Testament rules anymore, but I think we can learn about God and how he operates by looking at the rules in the Old Testament.  Giving ten percent was a popular theme in the Old Testament.  I think that is probably a good starting point for our giving today.  If God liked using that percentage back then, I think it is likely He still thinks that is a good percentage today.  However, don’t forget that there were other rules for giving that didn’t simply follow the ten percent rule, so it is probably a bit naïve to think that is exactly what we need to do today.

Yesterday we learned that all our money is God’s money, not our own.  I think we need to consider that when deciding on how much to give to the church.  Furthermore, some of God’s money should probably be given to areas outside of the church.  For instance, your neighbor’s house burns down.  God may let you know that it is a great idea to send some money their way to help them get back on their feet.  Should that come out of the ten percent?  That is a trick question.  We should not be concerned about a particular percentage when 100% of the money we have is God’s.  We need to figure out the best way to use that money by listening to God and trying to understand His desires for that money.  I think He may want some to give twenty percent, fifty percent, or maybe even more to the church.  Perhaps, someone is in a tough situation right now and five percent is the right amount.

I do think church is important, and I do think it is important to give money to the church to further God’s work.  I would not want to be selfish in that regard and spend too much on myself and neglect the church.  If you want to know what is important to yourself in life, just look at what you spend your money on and what you do with your time.  If you don’t spend very much money and time on church, then church is not important to you.  If church is important to you, you do not have to tithe to it, but I encourage you to make God’s day by giving an appropriate amount to His work.

-Rick McClain

While this week we are discussing a Christian perspective on money…you can still keep up with your Bible reading plan. Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway.com here – Isaiah 53-54 and 2 Timothy 2

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Counterintuitive Wisdom

Proverbs 27-29

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The Proverbs are, in many cases, fairly self explanatory. Don’t be lazy, don’t be a wicked ruler, don’t be foolish but be wise, be a righteous ruler, be diligent in your work. Each Proverb has it’s own meaning but they go along those lines. But some are not so self explanatory. They are counterintuitive.
A short example is found in 28:27. If you want to be prosperous and blessed, to never be in want, then we give our money to the poor. The world, our own sinful heads, and many economists believe that the way to grow our wealth and not be in want is to hoard our money. But that’s not the way God works. It is only in generosity and giving that we will be blessed. This comes from the fact that God will bless and many times he blesses us through the care of others in our time of struggle and hardship.
Also, 27:5-6 doesn’t seem to be true in the moment. I don’t like to be rebuked. I don’t like it when a friend calls me out on the garbage way I am acting. But the Proverb teaches us that we should delight when a friend rebukes us because their correction comes form a place of love and they want our life to be one of wisdom and righteousness. This is especially true for  our brothers and sisters in our local church. Many times, we may feel judged by the people of our church, but more often than not, they are wanting the BEST for us. The “wounds” they give are better than any kisses of those who tell us we have nothing wrong with us. There could be people who act like a friend and hurt you in terrible ways, but here we mean TRUE friendship, TRUE companionship, TRUE love from a brother or sister in Christ. That true love is shown in forgiveness and compassion, especially in our moments of weakness and humility. Many times, when we are sinning and are fearing the rebuke of those people, we hide our sin away, like 28:13 says. But counterintuitively, by hiding our sins, we only hurt ourselves more when they are brought to light in some other way. We need to confess our sins and turn away from them. When we do, compassion and forgiveness are waiting for us from the people of God and from God himself.
Jake Ballard
Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+27-29&version=NIV
Tomorrow’s reading will be Ecclesiastes 1-6 as we continue on our 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Be the Good in the Crazy

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Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled…”

If you’re reading along with this Bible plan and read yesterday’s blog, you might expect to read more about people “doing as he/she saw fit” as you read the introduction to Ruth.
Thankfully, this book of the Bible is nothing like Judges. We read about individuals who are faithful, loyal, hardworking and honorable.
If you’re paying attention to the news lately you’ll hear a mixture of very sad statistics right alongside stories of people doing good. And that’s one of the things that I appreciate about the book of Ruth: while all sorts of people are ignoring God’s Law, there are still righteous people, like Boaz, doing the right thing.
So while you are quarantined to your homes, what good and right thing can you do? It starts with how you treat and speak to those with whom you share a living space with. Do you find yourself with spare time on your hands these days? Instead of increasing your screen time, what good and right thing can you do for your neighbors (while maintaining your social distance, of course)? Maybe because your social calendar is empty, you actually have some spare change in your pocket. What good and right thing could you do for your church and/or community with that extra cash?
So while we are living in extraordinary times, you have the prime opportunity to do something special. Be faithful. Be loyal. Be hardworking. Be honorable. Be Christlike.
Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible reading is the Book of Ruth (just 4 short chapters worth the read).  You can read or listen to it at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+1-4&version=NIV
Tomorrow we begin the book of 1st Samuel (chapters 1-3) as we continue on the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan .  Or, there is no time like today to start!