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The
Pastor's Corner
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September/October
Stewarding
Our Resources As a Trust From God
Stewardship has to do with the three big areas
of our lives. These are our time, our talent, and our
treasure.
In each case what we have is given to us as a trust from
God. The person who has decided to surrender his life to
God and follow Christ understands that God's word is the
final rule in every area of life. How we use our time and
talents deal with serving God by serving others. Here we
want to address God's plan for how we handle our
finances.
People usually care a lot more about what good
stewardship will do for them than they do about how it
will benefit the mission God has given the church.
Remember that God wants to bless us. He wants you to
prosper because He wants the church to prosper in
reaching others. This can’t be done unless the
people in the church practice good stewardship.
Again, God wants to bless you. He wants to use you to
build up the church.
Prayer gives a church spirituality but stewardship gives
it strength.
Tithing is the practice of giving a tenth of one's income
and I believe talent and time to God. Basic to tithing is
the acknowledgement of God's ownership of everything in
the earth.
The first recorded instance of tithing in the Bible
occurs in Genesis 14:17-20. After returning from rescuing
Lot and defeating his enemies, Abraham met Melchizedek,
the "king of Salem" and "Priest of God
Most High." The text states simply that Abraham gave
Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had obtained in
battle.
The second recorded instance of tithing has to do with
Jacob. Jacob, long before the law of Moses, promised that
he would give to the Lord a tenth of all he received
(Gen. 28:22).
Thirdly, we have the Law of Moses. The law demanded a
tithe. Leviticus 27:30-32 stated that the tithe of the
land would include the seed of the land and the fruit of
the tree. In addition the Hebrew people were required to
set apart every tenth animal of their herds and flocks to
the Lord.
The tithe is also spoken of in Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 11-12.
Ezekiel 44:29-30 mentions the giving of the first-fruits.
The prophet Malachi in 3:7-12 indicated that Israel had
robbed God by withholding tithes and offerings. Thus the
Israelites were exhorted to bring their tithes into the
storehouse in order to enjoy the Lord's blessing.
In the New Testament the words tithe and tithing appear
multiple times: Matt. 23:23; Luke 18:9-14; Hebrews 7:5-9.
As believers, Christ Himself is our model in giving.
In the New Testament giving is to be voluntary, willing,
cheerful, and given in the light of our accountability to
God.
Giving should be systematic and by no means limited to a
tenth of our incomes.
We recognize that all we have is from God.
We are called to be faithful stewards of everything.
Romans 14:11-12; 1 Corinthians 9:3-14; 2 Corinthians
9:5-15.
See
you in service!
Pastor
Mike
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