Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.[2 Corinthians 9:7]
Over the years I've heard of some churches doing some pretty strange things to balance their budgets. For example:
* There was the church which sold parking spaces on the street. The closer the spot was to the main door of the church, the higher was the fee being charged.
* There was the clergyman who sent out Christmas presents to all his parishioners: an 8 x 10 glossy photograph of himself. He suggested his people might want to give him a Christmas present in return: $20 was suggested.
* Then there was the church where the pastor refused to preach the sermon until a certain amount of money was raised. The collection plates were repeatedly passed and hymns were sung while the money was counted.
Topping that list is a letter put out by the assistant administrator of the Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida.
The letter told one of the congregation's ladies that she is delinquent in her church support, and she needs to pay her annual church dues of $1,000 or else she will be removed from the rolls of the congregation. The assistant administrator then suggested the letter's recipient should contact the church office for a review of her financial contribution record and the amount needed to retain her membership.
When I first read that story, I wondered what would Jesus say about such a practice.
Then I remembered the Lord has said something about this kind of strong-arm tactic. Speaking by inspiration, St. Paul wrote, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Now you will note that St. Paul assumes that people will want to give to the Lord's work.
Indeed, how could we do differently? In His divine grace, the Lord sent His Son into this world to be the sacrifice that would forgive our sins, defeat the devil, and conquer death. God knows that anyone who has seen that kind of love will respond. Not because they are forced to do so, but because thanksgiving is the believer's proper reaction toward Jesus, who has saved our eternal souls.
Yes, Paul assumes that people will give and that compulsion and coercion are both wrong and unneeded. That's because the giving of our time, talent and treasures ought to always be a reaction which comes from a believer's heart.
Oh, I thought you might want to know, the lady who got this letter is looking for another church, a church that speaks about the Christian's proper reaction to the salvation that has been won for us by the crucified and ever-living Jesus.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, in all things, may I have a cheerful heart, which seeks to honor the Savior and encourage others to have a proper perspective and reaction to Jesus' love. In His Name we ask it. Amen.
Over the years I've heard of some churches doing some pretty strange things to balance their budgets. For example:
* There was the church which sold parking spaces on the street. The closer the spot was to the main door of the church, the higher was the fee being charged.
* There was the clergyman who sent out Christmas presents to all his parishioners: an 8 x 10 glossy photograph of himself. He suggested his people might want to give him a Christmas present in return: $20 was suggested.
* Then there was the church where the pastor refused to preach the sermon until a certain amount of money was raised. The collection plates were repeatedly passed and hymns were sung while the money was counted.
Topping that list is a letter put out by the assistant administrator of the Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida.
The letter told one of the congregation's ladies that she is delinquent in her church support, and she needs to pay her annual church dues of $1,000 or else she will be removed from the rolls of the congregation. The assistant administrator then suggested the letter's recipient should contact the church office for a review of her financial contribution record and the amount needed to retain her membership.
When I first read that story, I wondered what would Jesus say about such a practice.
Then I remembered the Lord has said something about this kind of strong-arm tactic. Speaking by inspiration, St. Paul wrote, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Now you will note that St. Paul assumes that people will want to give to the Lord's work.
Indeed, how could we do differently? In His divine grace, the Lord sent His Son into this world to be the sacrifice that would forgive our sins, defeat the devil, and conquer death. God knows that anyone who has seen that kind of love will respond. Not because they are forced to do so, but because thanksgiving is the believer's proper reaction toward Jesus, who has saved our eternal souls.
Yes, Paul assumes that people will give and that compulsion and coercion are both wrong and unneeded. That's because the giving of our time, talent and treasures ought to always be a reaction which comes from a believer's heart.
Oh, I thought you might want to know, the lady who got this letter is looking for another church, a church that speaks about the Christian's proper reaction to the salvation that has been won for us by the crucified and ever-living Jesus.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, in all things, may I have a cheerful heart, which seeks to honor the Savior and encourage others to have a proper perspective and reaction to Jesus' love. In His Name we ask it. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Psalms 106:1 Halleluyah!
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
____________________________
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Psalms 106:1 Halleluyah!
Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
2 Who can express Adonai’s mighty doings
or proclaim in full his praise?
3 How happy are those who act justly,
who always do what is right!
4 Remember me, Adonai, when you show favor to your people,
keep me in mind when you save them;
5 so I can see how well things are going
with those whom you have chosen,
so that I can rejoice in your nation’s joy,
and glory in your heritage.
6 Together with our ancestors, we have sinned,
done wrong, acted wickedly.
7 Our ancestors in Egypt failed to grasp
the meaning of your wonders.
They didn’t keep in mind your great deeds of grace
but rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Suf.
8 Yet he saved them for his own name’s sake,
to make known his mighty power.
9 He rebuked the Sea of Suf, and it dried up;
he led them through its depths as through a desert.
10 He saved them from hostile hands,
redeemed them from the power of the foe.
11 The water closed over their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
12 Then they believed his words,
and they sang his praise.
13 But soon they forgot his deeds
and wouldn’t wait for his counsel.
14 In the desert they gave way to insatiable greed;
in the wastelands they put God to the test.
15 He gave them what they wanted
but sent meagerness into their souls.
16 In the camp they were jealous of Moshe
and Aharon, Adonai’s holy one.
17 The earth opened up and swallowed Datan
and closed over Aviram’s allies.
18 A fire blazed out against that group,
the flames consumed the wicked.
19 In Horev they fashioned a calf,
they worshipped a cast metal image.
20 Thus they exchanged their Glory
for the image of an ox that eats grass!
21 They forgot God, who had saved them,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22 wonders in the land of Ham,
fearsome deeds by the Sea of Suf.
23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
[and he would have,] had not Moshe his chosen one
stood before him in the breach
to turn back his destroying fury.
24 Next, they rejected the beautiful land,
they didn’t trust his promise;
25 and they complained in their tents,
they didn’t obey Adonai.
26 Therefore, raising his hand, he swore to them
that he would strike them down in the desert
27 and strike down their descendants among the nations,
dispersing them in foreign lands.
28 Now they joined themselves to Ba‘al-P‘or
and ate meat sacrificed to dead things.
29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds,
so that a plague broke out among them.
30 Then Pinchas stood up and executed judgment;
so the plague was checked.
31 That was credited to him as righteousness,
through all generations forever.
32 They angered him at the M’rivah Spring,
and Moshe suffered on their account;
33 for when they embittered his spirit,
[Moshe] spoke up without thinking.
34 They failed to destroy the peoples,
as Adonai had ordered them to do,
35 but mingled with the nations
and learned to follow their ways.
36 They went on to serve their idols,
which became a snare for them.
37 They even sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
38 Yes, they shed innocent blood,
the blood of their own sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to Kena‘an’s false gods,
polluting the land with blood.
39 Thus they were defiled by their deeds;
they prostituted themselves by their actions,
40 For this Adonai’s fury blazed up against his people,
and he detested his heritage.
41 He handed them over to the power of the nations,
and those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them
and kept them in subjection to their power.
43 Many times [God] rescued them,
but they kept making plans to rebel.
Thus they were brought low
by their own wrongdoing.
44 Still he took pity on their distress
whenever he heard their cry.
45 For their sakes he kept in mind his covenant
and in his limitless grace relented,
46 causing them to be treated with compassion
by all who had taken them captive.
47 Save us, Adonai our God!
Gather us from among the nations,
so that we can thank your holy name
and glory in praising you.
48 Blessed be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,
from eternity past to eternity future.
Now let all the people say,
“Amen! Halleluyah!”
111:1 Halleluyah!
I will wholeheartedly give thanks to Adonai
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 The deeds of Adonai are great,
greatly desired by all who enjoy them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness continues forever.
4 He has gained renown for his wonders.
Adonai is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives food to those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He shows his people how powerfully he works
by giving them the nations as their heritage.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his precepts can be trusted.
8 They have been established forever and ever,
to be carried out truly and honestly.
9 He sent redemption to his people
and decreed that his covenant should last forever.
His name is holy and fearsome —
10 the first and foremost point of wisdom is the fear of Adonai;
all those living by it gain good common sense.
His praise stands forever.
112:1 Halleluyah!
How happy is anyone who fears Adonai,
who greatly delights in his mitzvot.
2 His descendants will be powerful on earth,
a blessed generation of upright people.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness stands forever.
4 To the upright he shines like a light in the dark,
merciful, compassionate and righteous.
5 Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends,
who conducts his affairs with fairness;
6 for he will never be moved.
The righteous will be remembered forever.
7 He will not be frightened by bad news;
he remains steady, trusting in Adonai.
8 His heart is set firm, he will not be afraid,
till finally he looks in triumph at his enemies.
9 He distributes freely, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness stands forever.
His power will be increased honorably.
10 The wicked will be angry when they see this;
they will gnash their teeth and waste away,
the desires of the wicked will come to nothing.
1 Thessalonians 2:1 You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not fruitless. 2 On the contrary, although we had already suffered and been outraged in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage, united with our God, to tell you the Good News even under great pressure. 3 For the appeal we make does not flow from error or from impure motives, neither do we try to trick people. 4 Instead, since God has tested us and found us fit to be entrusted with Good News, this is how we speak: not to win favor with people but with God, who tests our hearts. 5 For, as you know, never did we employ flattering talk, nor did we put on a false front to mask greed — God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek human praise — either from you or from others. 7 As emissaries of the Messiah, we could have made our weight felt; but instead, we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother feeding and caring for her children. 8 We were so devoted to you that we were glad to share with you not only God’s Good News but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship, how we worked night and day not to put a burden on any of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless our behavior was in the sight of you believers; 11 for you know that we treated each one of you the way a father treats his children — 12 we encouraged you and comforted you and appealed to you to lead lives worthy of God, who calls you into his Kingdom and glory.
13 Another reason we regularly thank God is that when you heard the Word of God from us, you received it not merely as a human word, but as it truly is, God’s Word, which is at work in you believers. 14 For, brothers, you came to be imitators of God’s congregations in Y’hudah that are united with the Messiah Yeshua — you suffered the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Judeans who 15 both killed the Lord Yeshua and the prophets, and chased us out too. They are displeasing God and opposing all mankind 16 by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles, so that they may be delivered. Their object seems to be always to make their sins as bad as possible! But God’s fury will catch up with them in the end.
17 And as for us, brothers, when we were deprived of your company for a short time — in person, but not in thought — we missed you and tried hard to come and see you. 18 We wanted so much to come to you — I, Sha’ul, tried more than once — but the Adversary stopped us. 19 For when our Lord Yeshua returns, what will be our hope, our joy, our crown to boast about? Won’t it be you? 20 Yes, you are our glory and our joy!
____________________________
The Lutheran Hour660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 United States
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org
____________________________
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