Part 4

We should also give on the first day of each week...

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, you should follow the directions I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside and save some of your money in proportion to what you have, so that no collections will have to be made when I come.

The apostle Paul instructed the churches in Corinth in the same manner he instructed the churches in Galatia... that they should give "in proportion to" what they have... as should we.

Consider how the churches of Macedonia gave...

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 We want you to know, brothers, about God's grace that was given to the churches of Macedonia. In spite of a terrible ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy, along with their deep poverty, has resulted in the abundance of their generosity. I can testify that by their own free will they have given to the utmost of their ability, yes, even beyond their ability. They begged us earnestly for the privilege of participating in this ministry to the saints. We did not expect that! They gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, since this was God's will.
God loves a cheerful giver...

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

Consider the very words of Jesus...
Luke 16:1-15 Now Jesus was saying to the disciples, "A rich man had a manager who was accused of wasting his assets. So he called for him and asked him, 'What's this I hear about you? Give me a report about your management, because you can't be my manager any longer.' "Then the manager said to himself, 'What should I do? My master is taking my position away from me. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. I know what I'll do so that people will welcome me into their homes when I'm dismissed from my job.' "So he called for each of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' The man replied, 'A hundred jars of olive oil.' The manager told him, 'Get your bill. Sit down quickly and write "fifty."' Then he asked another debtor, 'How much do you owe?' The man replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' The manager told him, 'Get your bill and write "eighty."' The master praised the dishonest manager for being so clever. For worldly people are more clever than enlightened people in dealing with their own generation. "I'm telling you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous riches, so that when they're gone you'll be welcomed into eternal homes. Whoever is faithful with very little is also faithful with a lot, and whoever is dishonest with very little is also dishonest with a lot. So if you have not been faithful with unrighteous riches, who will trust you with true wealth? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to foreigners, who will give you what is your own? "No servant can serve two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!" Now the Pharisees, who love money, had been listening to all this and began to ridicule Jesus. So he said to them, "You try to justify yourselves in front of people, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly valued by people is detestable to God.

We came into this world with nothing... everything belongs to God...

1 Timothy 6:6-12 Of course, godliness with contentment does bring a great profit. For we did not bring anything into the world, and surely we cannot take anything out of it. So as long as we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with these. But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much pain. But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep your hold on eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses.

1 Corinthians 10:26 FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS.

Let us always remember...

Acts 20:35 In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

__________________
In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'