Deuteronomy 26-27
If we are to walk closely with our God, there are certain things we must do.
First, we must be obedient. He has set parameters around our behavior and we need to regard those boundaries. If He gives us personal direction, we must obey Him.
Second, we must give to Him.
Now there is much confusion concerning our financial obligations. Some think the tithe is like a tax we pay the government. Those people just plunk it down in the offering plate, sometimes grudgingly. The same way they pay their income tax.
Others think that the tithe is only under the Old Covenant and we don’t pay it now. So they don’t!
Let me say this. Where your treasure is, there shall your heart be also. What your money is being spent on is where your heart is. Is it on your car? Your house? Your clothes? Your boat? You get the point.
What God wants is your heart. Sure, He does need money to run His church. But when he tells you to tithe, He is looking for your heart.
If you are wrestling with this topic and trying to talk yourself out of having to give that much to God, something is wrong. That attitude is like a barometer which is checking your pressure.
So if that’s you, and you are trying to talk yourself out of it, stop. Find some time to get away with God. Ask Him to show you what His desire is for you. He wants to be above all else.
One more thing is this. Satan’s kingdom runs on money. The main reason that people sell drugs, or prostitute themselves, or steal, or defraud others is so that they can have some of satan’s money. Greed is the juice that runs his plans.
When you give liberally to God, you are saying to the devil, “You lose. I am committed to my God and you can’t stop me.” It’s a type of warfare against the devil.
Then you know this. “What a man sows, that shall he also reap. If you sow to the spirit, you’ll reap spiritual things.”(Gal 6:7)
When you are giving to God, not grudgingly, but out of a cheerful heart, and very liberally, you are saying to Him that you love Him and you have faith in Him as your provider. Worship with your giving. Say those things as you give. Give with faith and conviction.
You will see great rewards.
Mark 14: 26-54
If ever there was a testimony to the weakness of natural man, this passage should be it. The hour has come for Jesus to go to the cross – the hour He has been telling His disciples about.
He asks them to pray with Him, and they can’t even stay awake. If you have ever had a child get sick during the night, you know that you stay awake. The adrenaline keeps you awake so that you can’t sleep.
Not so with these disciples. Their flesh is ruling.
And what about Peter? He has seen the glory of Jesus during the transfiguration and watched as his Master raised people from the dead.
Now it’s time for this disciple to stand up and be counted as one of the followers. But no. he denies his Savior three times!
Hang on. A new day is coming. A day when these guys will be empowered by the spirit of God. Then the story will be different.
But the flesh profits nothing, and that’s all they have to go on now.
That’s still true today. Our flesh profits nothing. We can’t live this life we want without God’s empowering Spirit.
Praise God, we do have His Spirit. Let’s count on Him to lead us into all that he has for us! And empower us to get there.
