Sunday, February 28, 2010

How to be strong against the floods

About once a month I have the opportunity to share the offerring message at our church. This is what I shared with our congregation today. I hope it is beneficial to you as well.



In Luke 6:46-49 in the NLT it says,
"So why do you call me, 'Lord', when you won't obey me?
I will show you what its like when someone comes to listen to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.
But anyone who listens and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floodwaters sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins."

The floodwaters refer to difficult times.
When we experience difficult times (sickness, heartbreak, arguing with our family or spouse, hard times at work, or a decreased income), do we want these floodwaters to destroy us or hurt us because we haven't obeyed God?
Or do we choose to not only listen to God, (read our Bible, go to church, pray), but also obey what His Word is telling us (to tithe), so that when these floods come we are able to stand strong because God is protecting ans supporting us (like a foundation).

Malachi 3:11 says, "your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease".

This tells me that He is protecting us from those floods.

Wouldn't you rather be protected because of your obedience and have abundant crops to share with others?

Instead of being torn apart by the floods and possibly losing your job, your house, your spouse, your credit, or your everlasting life?

I would.

I'd like you to think about that before you bring your next tithes and offerings to God. Remember it in the future as well, because as I've said before, tithing becomes easy with practice. You just do it over and over again and it becomes second nature.

1 comment:

  1. Now see...here I feel like you are encouraging us to think about what we GET when we tithe. But in the last post (March 29th) I felt like we should NOT THINK about what we GET when we give...but only to think of how much we love God.
    ????????
    Am I complicating this or what? :o)
    I think I'm so "hung up" on HOW I'm giving...what my reason is, what I'm thinking when I'm dropping that money into the bucket..that I'm starting to stress over it.
    Remind me to tell you/ask you about the $50 gift card I won...

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