This lesson is not to teach only how a Christian should contribute his or her finances to God, but rather how our hearts and attitudes need to be in giving our service of all aspects.

IN GIVING OF OUR TIME

Time is a precious thing.  Yet there are those that think time is not of the Lord’s.  There are those that would think that God should have made the day 25 hours long if he wanted me to spend MY precious time thinking about him.  The fact is that God made the day 24 hours long and it is because of him that we have a day.  This should be enough to gain some appreciation one would think.  Yet there are many folks that cannot spend one second of the hour in thought of our Lord.

What if God chose to spend his time more constructively and had not given us life?  What if he did not have the time to give us Christ?

SPENDING OUR TIME WISELY IN ATTENDANCE
KJV Hebrews 10:22-27
22.  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
 23.  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
 24.  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
 25.  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
 26.  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

NOTICE THAT THESE PASSAGES SPEAK OF A TRUE HEART.  A TRUEHEARTED CHRISTIAN WOULD WANT TO BE WITH THE SAINTS AND STUDYING GOD’S WORD.  THEN THE WILFULLY SINNING, IS THAT OF ONE WHO SEES NO IMPORTANCE IN GOD’S COMMANDS, SUCH AS FORSAKE NOT THE ASSEMBLY OF THE SAINTS.

IF WE LOVE HIM WE WILL KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS

KJV John 14:15
15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS
KJV Matthew 22:37-38
 37.  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38. This is the first and great commandment.

PREACH AND LIVE CHRIST IN TRUTH AND LOVE; NOT CONTENTION
KJV Philippians 1:15-18
15.  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
 16.  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
 17.  But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
 18.  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

YOU ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE (CHRIST)
KJV 1 Corinthians 6:20
20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD AND WE SHOULD LOVE HIM FOR THAT
KJV Romans 11:33-36
 33.  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
 34.  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?
 35.  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

DIRECT YOUR TREASURES TO HEAVEN (BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL)
KJV Matthew 6:20-21
 20.  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

WE ARE TO GIVE OF OUR POSSESIONS (ON SUNDAY)

KJV 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
 1.  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
 2.  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
 
 
 

WHEN GIVING EITHER MONEY OR WORKS DO SO WITH LOVE
KJV 1 Corinthians 16:14
14. Let all your things be done with charity.

GIVE AS PURPOSED AND CHEERFULLY
KJV 2 Corinthians 9:7 
 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

THE WIDOW GAVE 2 MITES, YET IT WAS ENOUGH (MITE 1/8 OF A CENT)
KJV Mark 12:41-44
 41.  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
 42.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
 43.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
 44.  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Some may be able to give a lot, some a little, yet this is not measurable by percents of other factors, it is measurable by the heart.  If one is not giving correctly, then they are not worshipping correctly.  Those who do not abide by the giving commandment are wasting they’re time!!

GOD KNOWS WHEN YOU DO NOT GIVE ACCORDINGLY

KJV Acts 5:1-10
 1.  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
 2.  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
 3.  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
 4.  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
 5.  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
 6.  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
 7.  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
 8.  And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
 9.  Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

WHY – BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED YOU!

KJV John 3:16-17
16.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
16. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

IF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN AND YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO GOD, YOU MUST:

HEAR – ROMANS 10:17
BELIEVE – JOHN 8:24
REPENT – ACTS 17:30
CONFESS – MATTHEW 10:32-33
BE BAPTIZED – ACTS 2:38
REMAIN FAITHFUL – REVELATION 2:10
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.