Advent 3- 11-30-16

11/30- Deuteronomy 5:1-7 “Hear O Israel the decrees and Laws I declare in your hearing today.” 

Thoughts: This is the introduction to the Ten Commandments. God is saying, He deserves their attention for He saved them out of slavery.  But out of love He is also giving them some direction for the common good.  Now the secular person would say Moses just looked around at other laws in Egypt and Babylon and made these up.  The skeptic might even say Moses never existed.  The apathetic says there is no truth of God so why would it matter.  But archaeology and the very existence of Jews today points to the beginning.  It had to start somewhere.  It started with being delivered, but it continues by listening to the Law. Jesus said he did not come to break the law but to fulfill it.   To be a Christian means to believe, but that is not all—it is a lifestyle.  To be a disciple means to follow in the way of the Lord- ever listening- ever learning. 

Prayer: Help me to understand that it is a blessing to me to have your Law.  Let me understand and to seek to please you. 

Waiting for a Baby

13Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you^c a sign: The virgin^dwill conceive and give birth to a son, and^e will call him Immanuel. 

Thoughts: This week or next week my daughter will have my third grandchild.  The whole pregnancy adventure is amazing.  The body instantly starts changing the minute the egg is fertilized.  In the end bones change, organs move and form.  Sometimes the body gains 50% of its own weight.  But the waiting is also amazing. The anticipation is great.  We know the baby is coming, but don't know exactly when.  In this passage and others it is clear that God is coming to earth.  The name "Immanuel" means "God with us."  We just don't know when He will show up.  Many spend their whole life waiting.  But God comes at the best time.  Patience while waiting is important, but waiting with anticipation is also important.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for waiting until the time had fully come to come to earth for us.  

Advent Day 2 Joshua 1:6-9

11/29- Joshua 1:6-9 Be careful to obey…Meditate on this Book of the Law Day and Night… Then you will have success- then you will prosper.

Moses was a great leader.  He led them away from slavery.  When he died, the temptation was to believe that they would have to figure this all out again.  But the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses were not written in clay or mud but on stone.  The great leaders know how to listen.  But the best one to listen to is the One who made us and gives us direction, truth, love, and purpose.  Joshua was told that if he listened and meditated he would succeed. 

Prayer: Lord, give me a heart to hear.  Make me a stronger person as I listen to you.  Keep me from failure and evil as I seek to please and honor you. 

Advent day 1- My Sheep Hear My Voice

Advent means coming, and the theme of advent is waiting.  While it is a bit artificial to wait again on the Christ who has come, it is also true that we should remember, re-live, and re-open our hearts to the coming Christ.  There is a sense in which waiting and listening are similar.  When we wait in the doctor’s office for our name to be called we are listening while we wait.  The story of the Ten bridesmaids waiting is also a story of their listening for the groom to show up.  Listening for relatives’ car doors to slam, or a phone call to say they are almost there is similar.

There are several words translated as “Hear” of “Listen”.  In Hebrew “Anah” means to respond or be aware of;  “Shamah” means to listen with intelligence or consider.  There are 7 Greek verbs for “Hear” or “listen.” The most common is “akouo” (perceiving a sound)- from which we get our word “acoustic” but other words are “eisakouo” (heed); “epakouo” (listen with favor). 

The theme this year is “Listening to the Coming or Do You Hear What I Hear?”  I remember the movie, “The Polar Express” where the boy who believes can hear the bells but adults and others who didn’t believe could not hear them.  There is something to this idea.  There are those who have ears but they cannot hear the frequency of faith.  In many ways Advent is about being able to see God’s hand at work and having eyes of wonder and gratitude looking at His Word and the world He made.

THEME: LISTENING TO THE COMING

11/27- John 10:27- “My sheep hear my voice.”  Jesus is the great shepherd.  He leads us beside the still waters and onto green pastures. He restores our soul.  But He also calls to us.  He calls to us to gather with the fold of other sheep.  He calls to us to follow Him and not go astray.  He calls to us to listen to His voice above the voices of the other sheep or the howls of the wolves.  Are you able to not only hear His voice, but focus on it and heed the voice?   He comes to us so that we are not like sheep without a shepherd.  He comes to give us purpose, direction in life.  He comes to call us beyond focusing on the stuff (the grass for the sheep).  

Prayer: Lord, Give me ears to hear your voice.  Let me trust in you, the Great Shepherd this advent.  

Pray with Thanksgiving

Be anxious for nothing.  But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  Then the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Philippians 4:6-7)

Thoughts:  Thanksgiving and gratitude is important in everything we do- even asking God for help.  We ask with grateful hearts because no matter what happens God is on the throne.  If we have little or if we have much God still loves us- and we can be grateful.  If we do not get our way- we can still know that God will get His and we desire His will above all things (and want our will to conform to His will).  When we ask selfishly and demanding our will instead of His- God probably should not morally answer it our way.  Otherwise we may pray for a pink cadillac and demand that God give it to us.  God has a right to say no to our selfishness.  He may still, out of His grace and weighing all for His glory and our good.  But if we ask saying, "Not my will but yours be done" then we are asking gratefully.  Gratitude helps us appreciate God and honestly trust in God.

Prayer: Lord, let me pray with gratitude and have your peace in my heart.

Give thanks for the Help

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.^a

4Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away.

6Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

7He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle.

8Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

9for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things. (Psalm 107)

Thoughts: The redeemed are to tell their story for which they give thanks.  They are to tell others how God helped them out of their bad situation.  Some were lost wandering in the desert with no way to get out until they called to the Lord who made a way for them when there was no way.  The people of Israel were that way- God provided manna- daily bread for them.
So how has God helped you this year?  Write down at least one thing for which you are thankful.  Recognize God does not ignore you but answers your prayer and helps you.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to see your hand and tell my story.  

Say So

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.  (Psalm 107). 

Thoughts: I like the King James Version of verse 2- "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so."  In other words- tell your story.  Do not hide that God has been at work in your life.  What are you thankful for?  Tell it out to others that they may join you in praise to God. 

Prayer: Lord, let me see your hand at work- and then let me tell others of that hand at work.  

Give Thanks For He is Good

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good- His mercy endures forever."  So begins four separate Psalms: 106, 107, 118, 136

Thoughts: This is an important phrase in that it is repeated four different times. Let's break it down.
We do not ignore God's blessings- but when we are aware of them we should give thanks.
We give thanks for two reasons: 1) His goodness; 2) His enduring mercies.
To believe that God is good is important.  God is not just there- He is active in doing good.
It is not that we feel He is good all the time, or that He cannot punish.  This does not mean that God is always nice to us.  God should rightly discipline us and mold us into being better people.  But God is good in that he defines what goodness is.  The One who made us knows what is best for His creation.  But even when we do not do good- God is merciful to us.  Mercy is when we deserve punishment but God does not treat us as we deserve.  His mercy is not fleeting.

Prayer: Lord Help me to give thanks to you- for your goodness and lasting mercy.

Give to the Needy

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."22When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.… (Matthew 19:21,22)

Thoughts: There was a young man- some describe him as a young ruler or politician who tried to keep the Law.  He was pretty good at it- trying to do what was right.  But his possessions had possessed him and had become a demi-god to him.  He loved his comfort as much as he loved God.  Jesus knew this and challenged him.  The ironic thing is that the more you have, the more things you must take care of, and the easier it is for your comforts to own you.  God gives us gifts to hold onto gingerly.  This passage also encourages us to give to the poor.  For it is when we care for the poor that we are actually investing in a heavenly savings account.  

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to let go of things and hold onto you. 

Freely Give

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:8) 

Thoughts: Jesus was sending out his disciples (the 12) to witness to the kingdom's coming.  He asked them to do amazing things because they were to give what they have received.  The context for the great mini-verse "freely you have received, therefore freely give" is missions.  God gives us gifts and things so we may share them with others.  We do not hide our talents in the ground or put our light under a bushel basket.  Rather- we open our hand, share our talents, and let our light shine.  All we have is a gift from God.  We did not earn or deserve this.  Most of the gifts we have today were given to us before we were ever born or right at birth- our country, our economy, our parents, our intelligence and ability.  We have received it freely.  We should give without wanting payment or even gratitude.  We give to others expecting nothing in return.  That is how God gives to us.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your free gifts.  Help me to give as you give to me. 

God's Nature to Give

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son; that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

Thoughts: God loves us and gave Himself for us.  He came down for us.  He sacrificed Himself for us.  The nature of God is to give.  In response to Him, we also should give.  In following Him, we also should give for Him.  To not give is to reject His way.  To choose selfishness over generosity is to choose not to follow Him.  God gives us all we have.  He gives us life.  He gives us time.  He gives us ability and minds to understand.  God loves to give and wants us to follow in His way.

Prayer: Lord, help me to let go of things and by opening my hand, find you fill it up again so I may give more.

Focus and Trust in God

  32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33,34)

Thoughts: Matthew 6:33 is a seminal verse.  It is a great summary of how to defeat worrying about things in this life- change your focus and your trust.  It is not just enough to change your focus.  Jesus didn't just say- "Look to heaven."   Instead He invites us to "Seek."  The pagans run after stuff that fades.  We are to run after the stuff that lasts.  Our love is to change- which means our hearts must change.  All through Matthew 6- part of this sermon on the Mount- Jesus is encouraging people to change their focus.  People are blessed when the world thinks they are cursed (Blessed are the meek, those who mourn...).   He says to trust and love God through Him.  If we can trust God and focus on Him- then the things that we worry so much about fade in importance, and we are able to give of ourselves fully to the Lord. 

Prayer: Lord, may my focus and trust be in you. 

Trusting God Instead of Worry

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  (Matthew 6:28-32)

Thoughts: Jesus contrasts the worry of the pagans with the trust believers should have.  One of Jesus' main message is that God cares.  It is the ability to trust in God's care that keeps us from worrying.  God's providential love and care make the world beautiful and it can make us beautiful people as well.  Jesus says the pagans not only want these things- but they "run" after food, drink, clothes and stuff.  But they spend too much energy on what will in the end decay like the grass of the field.  Instead of seeking stuff- Jesus tells us to seek the kingdom instead.  Today people spend much more on eating-especially eating out- than the previous generation.  Between 2014-2015 spending on food and clothing increased 3.9% even though the cost of living was virtually unchanged.  But we should focus on the kingdom and less on this earth.  

Prayer: Lord, let my love for you overcome all other loves.  Help me to honor you.  

The (Non) Benefits of Worry

 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^e ? (Matthew 6:27) 

Thoughts: Some make it their job to worry.  They worry like there is no tomorrow.  They worry like worrying in itself will help them.  But worry- real worry- doesn't help anyone.  Worry doesn't improve your life.  Rather it takes the joy out of life.  Worry, the opposite of trust, keeps us from giving to God, and trusting that God will care for us and provide for us.  We cannot make ourselves taller or add an hour to our life by worrying about it.  Worry, instead of adding to life- takes away from life.  It causes ulcers, colitis, muscle spasms, stomach issues, even heart and stroke issues.  Trusting in God fights worry.  Giving to God is a visible sign of trusting in the Lord. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in you more and not in my own thinking or abilities.  Give me grace to be a trusting, generous person.  

Worrying and Giving

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^e ? (Matthew 6)

Thoughts: Giving in faith alleviates worry.  If you worry about what you will eat, drink or wear- even if you have plenty of food, good water galore, and enough clothes to fill a closet- then you will not give.  Giving leaves worry behind.  I have seen a homeless man share his only apple with another. He was not worried nor concerned with accumulating things.  The ability to trust in God and to not worry is a true blessing.  Trust in God is the basis for giving more than a pittance or simply leftovers.  The standard for giving is symbolized by giving the firstfruits (Deuteronomy 26). Giving the firstfruits to God instead of the leftovers shows trust that God will provide more.  Today many give after they figure out what they can give and not change the way they live or their heart.  This is giving God out of convenience.  But when we trust in God, we are able to let go of things.  When we are generous, we grow in our faith.  

Prayer: Lord, change my worry into trust.  Help me to be generous and trust in you.  

Choose your treasure place

21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6)

Thoughts: Your treasure cannot be two places at once.  You can have your treasure on earth or you can have it in heaven.  It is not in between, and it is not in both at the same time.  Your ultimate treasure- the thing that rules your heart is in once place or the other. We may love to have our cake and eat it too-- but we fool ourselves.  God will not allow us to treasure Him while treasuring other stuff.  God will not have a co-equal love.  Jesus said it like this- "You cannot serve God and money."  The KJV word is "mammon" or earthly stuff.  You can't have two masters pulling you in two different directions.  The earthly stuff will pull you away from God.  Greed takes away from the generosity that God wants to foster.  Lust for more earthly things will keep you from opening your hand up to God and opening your hand out to others.  So which will you serve?  Will you choose to have that extra stuff or will you choose to be generous for God?  Will you choose to serve your own comfort here, or will you choose to serve your eternal comfort in heaven?   Know that you have a choice to make- choose what will last forever. 

Prayer: Lord, Give me the grace to choose you over everything else.    

Song: You Gotta Serve Somebody- Bob Dylan

Choose your treasure place

21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6)

Thoughts: Your treasure cannot be two places at once.  You can have your treasure on earth or you can have it in heaven.  It is not in between, and it is not in both at the same time.  Your ultimate treasure- the thing that rules your heart is in once place or the other. We may love to have our cake and eat it too-- but we fool ourselves.  God will not allow us to treasure Him while treasuring other stuff.  God will not have a co-equal love.  Jesus said it like this- "You cannot serve God and money."  The KJV word is "mammon" or earthly stuff.  You can't have two masters pulling you in two different directions.  The earthly stuff will pull you away from God.  Greed takes away from the generosity that God wants to foster.  Lust for more earthly things will keep you from opening your hand up to God and opening your hand out to others.  So which will you serve?  Will you choose to have that extra stuff or will you choose to be generous for God?  Will you choose to serve your own comfort here, or will you choose to serve your eternal comfort in heaven?   Know that you have a choice to make- choose what will last forever. 

Prayer: Lord, Give me the grace to choose you over everything else.    

Song: You Gotta Serve Somebody- Bob Dylan

Your Eyes and Your Giving

21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,^c your whole body will be full of light.23But if your eyes are unhealthy,^d your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Mt. 6)

Thoughts: This passage is about not letting this world and all of its stuff control you.  Jesus asks us to put our hope beyond what we can see- to put our treasure in heaven.
    Then there is this curious passage about eyes and light right before Jesus says we cannot love both God and money.  I used to think this passage was about not lusting after people or things.  But it is far more, and it has to do with how we give.  What do you allow your eyes to see?  What do you put into your soul through our eyes?  If you keep pouring dark stuff into your soul through greed and lust, it makes the light within us dark.  We must focus not on what we do not have- with a lust for more (greed).  For greed destroys the soul.  On the other hand, if we focus on God in Jesus Christ, we are reminded of His generosity to us.  Generosity empties the soul of its dark greed, putting more light back in.  We make our eyes healthy when we focus on how much we can given rather than how much I can get.  Your eyes- your focus- has so much to do with your ability to give.  Do you see things through the eyes of faith- that God is our Provider?  Or do you see that you must provide for yourself for God will not?  If you believe in God, it changes your focus.  You walk and you give by faith and not simply by sight.  

Prayer: Lord, make my eyes and heart healthy.  

Know the Location of Your Treasure

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Thoughts: You can give your time, your efforts, yourself to treasures here or your time, your efforts, and yourself for the kingdom of God.  Any investment you make here is temporary.  Moths, rust, vermin destroy the things of this earth.  I have been in the home of someone who moved out to a nursing home years ago.  The house is moldy, the clothes are, after these years, unusable.  All the things bought that were fashionable are now just trash. I have seen people who were once famous and popular be forgotten.   In heaven our treasure is secured by the only ultimate, true insurer- the Maker of the Universe.  Invest yourself in God- and your heart will be there too.
I can remember my first car as a young man.  It was basically all I had.  I earned the car from bagging groceries and working hard.  I washed and waxed the car so it would look nice.  I invested in my car- and the more money and time I invested in it the more I liked it.  But that car eventually gave out- blew a transmission and an engine at the same time.  Give yourself- invest yourself- in the Lord's work.  

Prayer: Lord, may I find you as my treasure of all treasures.   

Giving in Ministry

5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

9He said, “Go and tell this people:

“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;

be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ (Isaiah 6)

Thoughts: One of the ways of giving is to give of yourself.  Giving of yourself in Christian ministry is a specific call with some definite costs.  Everyone who was called into ministry in scripture gave so much.  Abraham left his home.  Moses was rejected by the people. Elijah was hunted down by Jezebel.  Isaiah had a message that the people would be taken into exile and tradition says he was beheaded.  Jeremiah was thrown into a mudpit.  Ezekiel was told to be a watchman but that the people would not listen.  Daniel was taken into exile and thrown into a furnace.  Paul has a long list of his hardships- thrown to lions, stones, left for dead, shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten.  All of the Apostles were martyred but one and that one (John) was imprisoned in exile.  As someone said, "When God calls someone, He bids them come and die."  To say, "Here am I send me" is hard.  Ironically, to sink into the shadows and not answer God's call is also hard (just look at Jonah).  But the benefits of following God and answering His call- being in His will are immeasurable.  It is giving yourself to God by faith.
    Tomorrow in our church, an associate pastor will be installed.  It is a recognition he has answered the call to serve.  It is a tough call- and for that we should all pray for him.  Serving in ministry is an important way we give to God.  When someone serves full time- it is truly a gift of faith.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to give myself to you and walk by faith and not by sight.  

The Manner of Giving

2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4) 

Thoughts: We give for God's glory not our own.  We d not give for the applause of others ,but to please God.  We do not need to draw attention to ourselves in how we give.  Instead the attention goes to God.  We do not need to pull out our financial statement or tax return and show it around bragging.  This passage gives us incentive to give anonymously.  The best kind of giving is when we can give without expecting anything in return.  Such giving is given in faith that God will see and be pleased.  

Prayer: Lord, let me desire your glory above my own.  May you receive the glory from how I give.  

Wealth comes from God

“Praise be to you, Lord,

the God of our father Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

11Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

12Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

13Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

14“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. (1 Chronicles 29)

Thoughts: David prayed this before he died as he tried to provide the will and the wealth for his son, Solomon, to build the first Temple.  He was praising God that he was able to give and that the people were able to give (and did0 so freely.  David, who went from shepherd to general to king, recognized that wealth and honor come from God.  He was grateful.  He was also grateful for how all the people gave toward God's work.  It is by faith that we recognize that we need God, and we should be grateful to Him for all we have.  It is by faith that we are able to give.  

Prayer: Lord, give me faith to give generously to you and to your cause.  

Tithing

30“ ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord... 32Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord. (Leviticus 27:30,32)

and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth." (Genesis 28:22- Jacob/israel promises to give a tenth to the Lord of all he is blessed with). 

1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. (Hebrews 7)

Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. (Deuteronomy 14:22)

10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. (Dt. 26)

Honor the Lord with thy substance and the firstfruits of all thine increase.  Prov. 3:9

Thoughts: The idea of giving a tithe/tenth to God is found from Genesis through Revelation.  The question could be raised- "How much should I give?"  The answer in scripture- the standard for giving is a tenth of that which we have.  Deuteronmy 24 and Proverbs 3 speaks of it as the firstfruits are to be a gift up to a tenth.  This means we give of the firstfruits in trust that the rest of the fruit will come in.  We give out of faith that the Lord will provide the rest.  The first fruits means before anything else is given- thus the tithe comes from the gross income and not from a net income after taxes or after all other obligations have been paid.  God wants first place in our hearts, and it makes sense that God would ask us to give to Him off the top.  The first fruits idea tells us when to give it- first; and that we should give it off the top not skimmed off of the bottom after everything else has been paid.  

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to give back to you.  Help me to be a generous person.