November 12^th, 2017

9:30 am ------------------------------------------- Ask And Ye Shall Receive – John 16:23-33

10:00 am ------------------------------------------------------------The Lord’s Prayer – John 17

Honour The Lord With Thy Substance

“Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits 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

Modern preachers (so-called) promise great returns on your money if you will but send it to them, and therefore many do just that; much like one would invest in the stock market for quick and easy gain. But the believer’s motivation for giving is God’s grace and charity toward him or her. Because everything we have has been freely given to us, therefore we give back a portion of what belongs to the Lord anyway. The believer gives out of heartfelt gratitude and with a desire to see the work of the gospel prosper. The believer gives because he wants to, needs to, and because he knows it is his reasonable service. With that being said, the Lord will bless those who give in this way. Although we are not to give in order to be blessed, yet the Lord will bless those who give willingly, lovingly and cheerfully. David, the king, observed the people giving willingly and generously (as did he) and thanked the Lord that they did so ( 1 Chron.29:10-17 ). When God saves someone, He makes them willing in the day of His power (Psa.110:3); He makes them willing worshippers, subjects, servants, followers and supporters.

The above scripture is a promise from God Who cannot lie. He tells us to give the first fruits, not what is left over. Why is it we do not have anything left over to give? Along with our own covetousness and greed, perhaps it is because we do not first honour the Lord with our substance. If this be true with us, we should not wonder at our financial difficulties. God is not going to bless someone who only thinks of himself and lavishes himself with things, while reluctantly or grudgingly giving a mere pittance (if anything) back to the One Who gave it all. . . Who gave His all, gave Himself.

“God loves a cheerful giver”, and , “it is more blessed to give than receive.” God honours His word and honours those who honour Him by taking Him at His word and doing what He says.

Listen to the following scripture, better yet, turn to it and read it for yourself. Listen carefully . . .

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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 out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” – Malachi 3:8-10

“He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto Him, Lord who is it?” – John 13:25

Though John whispered this in Christ’s ear, yet he called him ‘Lord’; the familiarity he was admitted to did not at all lessen his respect for his Master. It becomes us to use a reverence in expression, and to observe a decorum even in our secret devotions, (which no eye is a witness to), as well as in public assemblies. The more intimate communion gracious souls have with Christ, the more sensible they are of his worthiness and their own unworthiness, as Abraham, though the friend of God, says, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes” (Gen.18:27) -- Matthew Henry

Some Things Not Worth It – By Scott Richardson

There are many ways to waste precious time other than by evil living. There are . . .