Increase Our Faith

Christian Giving: What You May Not Have Been Told

Ken

God does not need your money. The Church may be able to use your money. You may barely be able to pay your bills. Why should you feel compelled to give? God admits it. He owns everything. “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10 KJV). The Church is made up of people like you and me, who are trying to do God’s work in spreading the Gospel. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2Corinthians 5:19). We come to the Father with whatever income we have and acknowledge everything we have belongs to Him, because we belong to Him. “Ye are bought with a price” (1Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). Now, how much does He want us to give? Evidently, the answer to that question is strictly a matter of trust between you and Him, for He is looking to develop a living, working relationship with you. “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him [raptured him home to Heaven without dying]” (Genesis 5:24). 

God is seeking to grow our confidence in Him. 

First, tithes or giving a tenth of one’s income, as a sign of you taking care of God’s business, so He takes care of your business (Genesis 28:20, 22), were given by Abram to Melchizedec (14:20) long before their was an OT Mosaic Law requiring it (Leviticus 27:30), since God uses tithing to develop our relationship of trust with Him. 

Second, we should especially support the local church, which ministers to us, even though tithes belong to the LORD, not the Church, Christian ministry, or missionary enterprise. “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s” (Leviticus 27:30). God directs you to place it wherever He sees fit. But, shouldn’t we support those who labor for us? “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house” (Luke 10:7). 

Third, those who minister to us are trusting the LORD to minister to their needs, even as we are trusting the LORD to provide for our needs. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38). 

Fourth, the LORD seeks to bless His people through their giving, “not because I [Paul] desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account… but my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:17, 19). 

Fifth, the LORD challenges His people to test and prove Him, if He will not bless you more than you can bless Him. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). 

Sixth, regarding our tithes and offerings, Is there not a God in the Church today, as there was with David, as he fought the Nephilim Goliath? Okay, here’s our chance to see God deliver us and our respective local churches, Christian ministries, and missionary enterprises. “This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1Samuel 17:46). 

Seventh, offerings as well as tithes, God may be directing you to give, for offerings may be unrighteously withheld from God, also (Malachi 3:8). We are not taking the initiative in our giving, if we neglect to cultivate the giving of the firstfruits offering — celebrating the surplus above the normal — understanding it to be only a further opportunity for God to bless us (and Himself) further. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). 

Conclusion

Especially, when giving is a subject of difficulty or testing for ourselves, then it is so valuable in developing us. God has a right to challenge us concerning our giving, because it is a test of our trust in Him. Wise Christian ministers are careful to beg for money. But, Church members, who listen, should take their que, when they catch hints of need, in conversation with leadership. Treat giving to the LORD’s Church and ministry, as if it was being done to the LORD. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40). 

Father, bless Your people with a new or renewed sense of understanding about the opportunity of giving to grow Your kingdom, provide for the Church, and draw us closer in understanding and dependence upon You. In Jesus’ name, come quickly, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Breaking the Cosmological Principle

Ken

According to the Cosmological Principle, the universe should look the same in every direction following a Big Bang, but our galaxy exists near the center of an unnatural, cosmic void spanning 2 billion light years of nothingness. Explanation: Either the universe is eternal (as some propose) or the Creator intelligently and un–uniformly designed and composed a vast universe of power, wonder, and artistic beauty. The universe is not eternal, for we know that metaphysical attribute of eternality belongs only to the “eternal God” (Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV). And, it is revealed, an Eternal Creator spoke the universe into existence. “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6). LORD, we worship You, not just as the only plausible explanation for our existence, but as the only certain foundation for our faith. Show us Your glory. In Jesus’ name, we pray, magnify Your name. Amen. 

Perfect Soundness

Ken

“And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Acts 3:16 KJV). Should Christians use doctors and medical science? Of course, since doctors do not heal, but only assist God to heal. It is our privilege to receive healing from God. Yes, but some healing may not be complete until we come into His glorified presence. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1John 3:2). In the meantime, we should pray, believe, and affirm our “perfect soundness” (Acts 3:16) from the top of our head to the tip of our toes, until we see the physical reality, or we’re translated into His presence. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. 

Dead Reckoning

Ken

Dead reckoning is an expression in aeronautical navigation of determining your current location based upon speed, heading, and elapsed time from a previous position. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:11 KJV). Christians are held captive by entangling sin simply because they do not reckon, consider, picture, or imagine themselves as anything but chained to the necessity or reality of that sin. Paul showed us the beginning of our solution. Reckon yourselves dead to that sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Some do it easier than others, but all must actively admit, confess, believe, imagine, see, and reckon that it’s so, for it to be so. How is this miracle accomplished? Through Jesus, who is God’s empowerment. It is simply God’s work in us to make it so.

Rapture: The Blessed Hope

Ken

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13 NKJV). Sure, I’d like to go, if there’s a Rapture, but how do you know it’s so? Harpazō is the NT Greek for catching up or rapture. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Greek, harpazō] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:17). Here, harpazō is understandably connected with the “coming of the Lord” (4:15). We will be “caught up” (4:17) to the Lord in the air to reunite with our predeceased brothers and sisters before we all return with Christ. Harpazō also occurs in Revelation 12:5, where the “woman” (12:1), representing Israel, brings forth the Messiah, who is “caught up” (12:5) to the throne of God. Likewise, the Church as the Body of Christ will be raptured to Heaven, after which Israel will be forced to flee “into the wilderness” (12:6). May the Spirit of Christ “comfort” you (1Thessalonians 4:18) with these words, but let us not be impatient or contentious with one another, least of all, about the Rapture. “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). 

How Is Your Faith?

Ken

The only way you can prove you have faith is to presently walk in faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2Corinthians 5:7 KJV). Faith is sensitive to the present. We may have first believed in the past, but we must continue in the present, or there is no faith. We hope to walk in faith to the end, but we must continue in faith in the present to get there. Our great enemy is the deception that faith is not active. We deceive ourselves, when we are not trusting Christ for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2Peter 1:3). If we are truly in the faith, then let us avoid shipwreck by allowing Christ to direct our hopes and fears through all the opportunities and troubles of life. 

Cure for Fear

Ken

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3 KJV). Better than whistling a happy tune, because the One we trust is greater than anything that can harm us. David didn’t stop there, but went on. “In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me” (56:4). In God We Trust may only sound like an advertising slogan minted on coins, but true confidence in God is deceptively powerful. Faith is so effective an antidote for fear, the enemy mocks and trivializes it in hope the godly will be lulled into a false sense of “maybe this is too simple to work.” Exactly. Because it is not about us, but about whom we are trusting. Almighty God. “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14). 

Shall Not Lack Any Good Thing

Ken

“O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want [lack] any good thing” (Psalm 34:9-10 KJV). God promises no lack of supply to those who fear or reverently trust Him. Saints describes the holy lifestyle of those supplied because they are seekers of the LORD. Compared to the hunger of young lions, His saints will be better cared for. Throughout the history of the godly, we do not know how God will keep His promises, but we know He will! Are we afraid of embarrassing God by asking Him to keep His Word? Or, are we more afraid of embarrassing ourselves? Again, it is God’s problem to keep His promises, not ours! LORD, increase our faith! Amen and amen.