A Sore Evil Under The Sun ________________________________________ There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt. (Ecclesiastes 5:13) When you and I ignore the needs of humanity and fail to support the cause of Christ with our money, the church of the Lord is hindered in its work, but the greatest injury suffered is a personal one. Others will support the Lords work and truth will triumph but the soul-shriveling effects of covetousness will leave its mark on our hearts. SAVING TILL IT HURTS You often hear people talk about giving till it hurts but you seldom see it practiced in life. Most people are like the old country farmer, who said, I know the Lord said, Its mo’ blessed to give than to receive, but receivin is good enuff for me. Therefore the Sore Evil of every age from Solomons day until now has been Riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt. Can you imagine anyone more miserable than the greedy, grasping miser who hoards his money in some secret place for fear it will be found and spends anxious days and sleepless nights guarding it. Yes, you can Keep till it hurts, because stinginess will destroy your love for humanity and cause you to rob God by withholding that which is his (Malachi 3:8). The following inscription was found on the tomb stone of a graceless old tight-wad who was noted for the high rate of interest he charged: Here lies old Twenty-Per-Cent, The more he made, the less he spent, The less he spent, the more he craved, If he gets to heaven, well all be saved. The Bible teaches thrift and industry and it certainly isnt wrong to save a portion of our earnings in preparation for the days when our ability to earn will not meet the needs of the hour. Such preparation for our future needs appears to be both sensible and scriptural, but lets not neglect present obligations to prepare for a future that we may never live to see. There are numerous examples of the vanity, the futility and foolishness of Laying up treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal (Matt. 6:19). The prize fool of the universe was the rich man mentioned in (Luke 12) who selfishly sought to lay up treasures to satisfy his own lusts but was Not rich toward God The true aim of life is not to get but to give, not to be ministered unto but to minister. GIVING BECAUSE WE LOVE TO GIVE Why do you give of your means? There are many motives for giving our money, some are worthy and others unworthy. Do you give in order to establish a reputation for liberality among your friends? Do you give because of the pressure of public opinion in order to avoid criticism? Some men have been known to give public donations to churches in order to advertise their business. Other men give in order to match the donation of some brother and then be able to say, I gave as much as Brother Blank, when they are able to give a great deal more. Our giving should always be prompted by a sincere love for Christ and for humanity. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; Not grudgingly, or of necessity. for God loveth a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Brother Gayle Oler wrote, In your giving, be sure to remember the motive, as well as the money. Giving is not only a matter of cash, but of culture of the character. It involves your soul as well as your silver. This is a true statement and worthy of serious consideration. Lets examine our hearts and see if we are giving with the proper motive. WHEN SHOULD WE GIVE, AND HOW MUCH? Paul answers both phases of this question for us in one passage of scripture, Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (I Cor. 16:2). Some one has arranged the basic facts on giving as set forth in this verse as follows: GODS PLAN OF CHURCH FINANCE • PERIODIC - “Upon the first day of the week” - Habitual, prayerful, cheerful. • PERSONAL - “Let every one of you” - Each man, each woman, each boy, each girl, individual act, no proxy. • PROVIDENT -“Lay by him in store” - Planned, deliberate, thoughtful, never haphazard. • PROPORTIONATE - “As God hath prospered him” - Generous, equal, responsible, faithful. • PREVENTATIVE - “That there be no gathering when I come” - No deficit, no worry, no drives, no schemes. Every member of the church ought to study these facts and purpose to give as the Lord requires. Many of us give more to pleasure than we ever give to Gods cause. WHEN SHOULD I QUIT GIVING? What, Giving Again? I asked in Dismay, And must I keep giving and giving always? Oh, No, said the angel piercing me thru, Just give till the Father stops giving to you. Those who get the most out of the church are those who put the most into it. If you are not getting what you think you should out of church, take an inventory of what you are putting into it.
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 05:31:41 +0000
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