Our Thoughts on Tithe

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1

Everything (more than just 10%) belongs to the Lord! On earth, we are simply His stewards. He entrusts us to manage all He owns in the ways that will glorify and honor Him. We need to use our time, talents, and treasures wisely and according to His will.

We need to give all of ourselves to the Lord. Many give 10% and consider that the rest of their resources can be spent at their discretion. Let’s realize that God owns all of us, including our resources. Let’s spend them as He leads us by His Word and His Spirit. The New Testament portrays the concept of freewill sharing and equity among believers. "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Corinthians 8:13-15

We, as the body of Christ, are called to reach out to a lost and dying world. We need to deny ourselves, carry our crosses, and follow Jesus. We need to live lives of "New Testament" simplicity, and not in luxury and self indulgence. We believe there is a significant mismanagement of God’s money among His Church (the body of Christ) in affluent countries. The Church should not be spending billions of dollars on church buildings, church salaries, and unnecessary/extravagant personal items/hobbies/property. (Certainly, the worker deserves his wages, but his work must be in accordance with the Father’s will. The Church is not a business.) These resources should be spent on reaching the millions of people who have never heard of the Gospel even once, and on providing them with the Word of God in their own language. Sadly, we are spending the majority of our resources on the areas of the world where Christ has already been preached. "More than 95 percent of the total church budget in the United States is spent at home to maintain programs rather than to reach out in mission. Of the five percent that goes overseas to mission, less than half of one percent is used to reach the lost." (K.P. Yohannan, The Road to Reality, p. 118) It is unjust to share the Gospel of Jesus repeatedly to people who have already heard when there are those who have not heard the Gospel of Jesus even once. These resources need to be quickly redistributed so that the majority of the Church’s resources are sent to the unreached people groups of the world.

We need to give to native missionaries who are reaching the unreached, to organizations that are actively sharing the Gospel in unreached areas (i.e., CRU's Jesus film ministries), and to organizations that are actively translating the Bible into unreached languages (i.e., Wycliffe).

We should also generously give food, clothing, shelter, and medical supplies where possible to the neediest from among mankind. We need to give to those who could not otherwise receive the basic needs of life from anyone else. Many of us are so comfortable and wealthy compared to these needy ones. If we live simply and pool our resources together, by God’s grace there will be enough for everyone throughout the world who is in need (remember the five loaves and two fish). We need to join together in praying and giving to those in need across the world as God directs.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:33, 34

Striving to be good stewards,
Eric and Urailak

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Pray and Give

PRAY

Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Please join me and other brothers and sisters in Christ in praying for the persecuted Christians and their persecutors.

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

1 Corinthians 12:26 "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (In reference to the Body of Christ, the Church)

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." Hebrews 13:3

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18

We are free to believe in America (so far), but many Christians around the world are not.  Sadly, we often take our freedom for granted. Are we using our freedom to tell others about Jesus? We live a life of luxury here compared to many people in other countries. Are we sharing with those in need? Live your faith and your love out loud! Pray for courage and boldness, willingness and opportunity, grace and gentleness ...then go tell of God's love to all the world. In addition, please remember (not just today) to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for our Savior, who are beaten for "loving Jesus", who risk all to serve the King of kings, who give up everything to follow the Prince of Peace, who sacrifice so that others can hear the Good News.

GIVE
I'd like to remind you that the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) collection week this year is Nov. 15-22.  If you're not familiar with OCC, please read here or visit here.

I encourage you to get your family involved with this wonderful project.  You will be spreading God's love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.  They will also get to hear the Good News.  "Your gift of love may be the door God uses to open a child's heart to Jesus Christ." (~Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan's Purse)

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord JESUS Himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35

~ Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts.

Christmas According to Scrooge

It is mind-boggling to me that some people get more into debt so that they can buy Christmas gifts for their families and friends and/or get so stressed out decorating, shopping, baking, preparing for Christmas.  I don't think that's what Jesus has in mind how He wants His birth to be celebrated.  In my opinion, we, Christians, should celebrate Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection...celebrate Him all year long any way, not just at Christmastime.  How should we celebrate?

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The Advent Conspiracy Promo Video from theadvance on Vimeo.

"This is love for God: to obey His commands." (1 John 5:3a)  Jesus would want us to celebrate Him by obeying His Word.  "Therefore go and make disciples of all naitons, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)  "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:15-16)  We can celebrate Jesus by spreading the Good News, worshiping Him, proclaiming His name, doing good and sharing with others.  "Others" do not just mean our families and friends.  "Sharing" doesn't just mean gifts/things. 

Let's take a lesson from Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (by Charles Dickens).  After having been visited by his dead partner Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, he was given a second chance to live right and to celebrate Christmas.  What did he do?  He paid for a prize turkey and had it delivered to Bob Cratchit's.  He gave money for the poor and destitute. He visited his nephew, Fred, to have dinner with him and his wife.  Notice that Scrooge did not buy gifts for his nephew or his nephew's wife.  His gift to them is time and his love & acceptance.  Scrooge raised Bob Cratchit's salary, helped his struggling family, and took care of Tiny Tim (who was a cripple).  He used his resources to help those in need; he discovered the joy of giving! 

450 billion and 10 billion...what a difference!  We need to use our time, talents, and treasures wisely and for God's glory.  There are many ways to do that: serving at a soup kitchen, donating money/blankets/coats/ canned foods, etc. to the homeless shelters, visiting/go caroling at nursing homes, buying grocery for families in need, shopping through catalogs from organizations such as World Vision and Samaritan's Purse for the poor and for things that transform lives like Bibles, Gospel tracts, etc.

In this day of over commercialism, how does your family keep a meaningful and Christ-centered CHRISTmas?  Please share.

~Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts. Thanks so much to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week. Have a blessed day in the Lord, everyone!