There is the story of three college friends from Harvard. The first of the three was a financial wizard. He graduated top of his class. He became an executive for a large financial institution. The second was a brilliant scientist working on cutting edge of science technology.  

The third one dropped out of Harvard after just one year. He was forced to drop out because of bad grades. The three friends got together after being apart ten years after college days.

The first two were frustrated. They were holding top jobs in their firms and making good salaries. But they weren’t making ends meet. With their house mortgage, car payments, private school for the kids and club memberships they were spending more than they were making. Every month they found themselves sinking deeper into debt.

But the third guy, who dropped out of Harvard because of bad grades, had none of these problems. He paid cash for his cars, his house was paid for and he was a millionaire and making money off his investments. The other two asked him. How have you done it? You dropped out of Harvard. How did you become so successful?

He explained to them how he made his fortune. He said I begin to buy and sell. I would buy items wholesale for $2 and sell them for $4. He said if you repeat that enough times that 2 percent profit will add up! Ha ha, he may not have been smart enough to figure percentages, confusing 200 percent profit with 2 percent profit, but in some ways he was wiser than his friends.  

When it comes to giving wisely there is a Godly wisdom that is required.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

 10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Are you going to make your life count?

There is:  

                           Gold, Silver and Precious Stone   

                                      Vs

                                Wood, Hay and Stubble

Fire will test a man’s work. The judgment of Christ is coming and wood, hay and stubble will burn. When we give wisely we are investing in Gold, Silver and Precious Stone.   

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Luke 12:33

 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Haggai 1:6 

The wise man finds himself saying: “I harvest where I did plant, reap where I did not sow.”

 In contrast the foolish is saying, “the harder I work the behinder I get.”

What does the wise do to experience this blessing? The wise man gives according to God’s principles.

The wise giver takes care of his family.

1 Timothy 5:8

⁸If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The word provide here is the Greek means to plan in advance. The wise giver  does not ignore his family. Wise giving makes provision for your family. It takes commitment and discipline. The advertising tells us we need it all.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2 

Buying household items with a credit card and paying exorbitant interest is not wise. Items don’t last forever, if you don’t plan this becomes a destroyer by creating debt.

A wise giver can use a budget to meet the needs of family, plan ahead for future needs, and honor the Lord. Having a budget for your family is a healthy wise thing to do. A good budget can help you meet the needs of your family, plan ahead for future needs and honor the Lord through giving. If you don’t have a budget for your family it is a healthy and wise thing to do so.

Your budget can help keep you from the oppressive bondage of debt. It can help you avoid the foolish man’s dilemma, “the harder I work the behinder I get.” You won’t be putting your money in purses with holes.

Financial freedom may take discipline and hard work, but it frees you to make eternal investments in kingdom work. You will be planting important eternal seeds.

What if a farmer spent all his money buying new farming equipment, new fences and did not have any money left to buy and plant seeds. Not wise.

A wise farmer doesn’t just plant a few seeds. These seeds are his livelihood for a future crop. As Christians it is wise for us to invest in an eternal harvest.

Giving wisely means giving according to God’s plan. The tithe is an important part of stewardship. Deuteronamoy 14:22-29. Tithe that you may revere the Lord.

Tithing precedes the law. Abraham gave tithes and Jacob gave tithes. A tithe simply means giving one tenth of our income to God. It’s a testimony of God’s ownership of everything. It is a loving response to God’s mercy.

There is a drama that illustrates this with pie pieces. One piece is house rent, another is food and another in entertainment. There were only crumbs left over for God.

In Hebrews 7:1-10 we are called to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.

The wise giver goes beyond the tithe. He sows seeds for eternal harvest in abundance. It is a joy to give generously. All we have to do to confirm this is look at the NT churches that gave sacrificially.

When we give wisely we put the eternal ahead of the temporal.

The wise giver will see the work of God changing lives. Having a part of that through financial investment is more exciting than acquiring possessions.

Matthew 16:26 (New International Version)

26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

When we put eternal ahead of temporal we are wise.

Jesus told us a parable about a man who went against every principle of wise giving. We call it the rich fool.

Luke 12:16-21 (New International Version)

 16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’  18“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘  20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  21“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

His bountiful harvest began to increase. He tore down his barns and built bigger ones. It was all stored up and ready to retire. This night your soul is required of you. This is how it will be for anyone who stores things up for himself, but is not rich toward God.

It is not enough just to plan ahead for retirement. It is foolish if we don’t prepare spiritually. Wise giving starts with a heart that is prepared for eternity.

A wise giver is one who is not neglecting his family and is rich toward God. A fool gets rich on earth and not in heaven. Be a wise giver, taking care of your family and being rich toward God.

Imagine you hear a knocking sound and go to the door. You find there is a man standing at the door. He is the store clerk. I cheated you, he says. I did intentionally did not give you back your correct change. One man told me of Jesus Christ and now I realize my mistake. I want to give you back four times the amount I took from you.

Luke 19:1-10
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ’sinner.’ “
8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Zacchaeus was a Jewish Tax Collector. He was a rich man. The people hated him because he took money from the people and gave to a foreign government.

Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus’s town. He was on his way to Jerusalem, where in just a few days he would die on the cross. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus.

There are three reasons Zacchaeus may have wanted to see Jesus. The first reason is that Jesus did many miracles. The second reason is Jesus was a famous person.

The third reason was that another tax collector named Matthew left his tax collecting and followed Jesus as one of his disciples. Matthew the Tax collector left everything and followed Jesus.

Matthew 9:9-13
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this; they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?”
12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

There was a large group was standing to see Jesus. Because of the crowd of people Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus Christ. Zacchaeus was a short man so he climbed up a tree to see Jesus

Then Jesus said, Zacchaeus down from the tree, come I must be with you. Zacchaeus climbed down from the tree and came to Jesus. This caused a big stir. Then the people started talking, Jesus has gone to the house of Zacchaeus a sinner

Then Zacchaeus said he would give money to the poor and pay back 4 times whoever he cheated. Then Jesus said today salvation has come to this house. Why because, you are a son of Abraham.

The bible teaches God blessed Abraham because of his faith in God. Zacchaeus put faith in Jesus Christ and received salvation. Salvation came and after that he did good works.

What did Jesus mean Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham? Jesus meant something more than that Zacchaeus was a physical descendent of Abraham. Jesus meant Zacchaeus was a spiritual descendent of Abraham.

Read Galatians 3:6-7
6Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.

Abraham was 100 years old and his wife was 90 years old. Then God said he would have a son and many decedents. Having a child in old age is impossible, but Abraham believed God. Because of his faith God blessed Abraham

God promised Abraham, he would be a blessing of all the nations. It was through Abraham’s Son Isaac and his descendents that Jesus came.

Matthew 1:1-2. And 16-17
1A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
You see Jesus is the blessing God promised Abraham. Now whoever believes in Jesus receives salvation. Now whoever believes in Jesus receives salvation. Zacchaeus believed in Jesus and received salvation. Jesus came to bring the blessing of salvation

Read Luke 19: 9-10
9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Jesus left Jericho to go to Jerusalem. There Jesus died on the cross. He died to pay the penalty for our sins. Now all who believe in Him have salvation. Jesus changed Zacchaeus life, from a cheater to a good man.

Have you believed in Jesus? Has Jesus changed your life?

Know for sure

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Genesis 11:1-6

Don’t be surprised when you find in many people a thirst for fame and recognition. That kind of pursuit needs to be countered by the Tower of Babel account.  

The story of the Tower of Babel is significant. It explains the diversity of languages and the scattering of peoples throughout the earth.

Building the Tower      

Genesis 11:1-4

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. ² As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

 ³ They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

At one time everyone on earth spoke the same language. Verse 4 reveals the plans and initiatives of men on earth.  Chapters 6 and 7 of Genesis told the story of man’s wickedness on earth. The result of this wickedness was God’s judgment though the flood.  There was a new beginning through Noah and his family.

Here again in Genesis chapter 11 we see the evil intentions of man. Their plan was to build a city with a tower that reached to the heavens. Their intension was to make a name for themselves and to keep from being scattered.

The plan was sinful because it was self exhortation. It was the result of their thirst for fame and recognition.

Their plan was to establish a world empire with a central base. Vs 3 their plan was outside the will of God. It was based on their man centered focus. They never take the time to seek God out about this tower. They had their own plan and they could only hope that God could bless that plan.

An exalted ego deadens our need for complete dependence on God. Everything they did was for their glory. This was to be a great tower for their names sake.

This tower was going to be something they could point to and say, “Look what we did.”

How foolish to reach up to heaven without recognizing God.  It is sad to look at any system of religion has a works orientated salvation. It is like building the Tower of Babel. Men who try to be good enough to reach God and say, look I did it. I achieved it.

 God’s plan is to come down and reach man Vs 7

⁷ Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

Jesus who is God Incarnation came down to die for you. Our task is to share Christ so they can meet the God who came down to save them. We could never reach up to God. God reached down and made a provision in Christ.

Man’s selfish plans that exclude God are plans in vain.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is God’s purpose that prevails.

Psalm 33:10-11The Lord nullifies the council of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The council of the Lord stands forever.   

The Judgment that resulted from their foolish plans are recorded in Genesis 11:5-9

Genesis 11:5-9 (New International Version)

 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. ⁶ The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

 ⁸ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. ⁹ That is why it was called Babel ^[a] —because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

God came down and put a stop to the man-glorifying rebellious activity. God involves himself in the affairs of man. God did not just create the world and let it run by natural forces. God is active and involves himself in the affairs of man.

God supernaturally confused the languages. Today there are over 3,000 languages and dialects. The result is the tower work stopped because they could not understand each other.

What they tried to prevent, being scattered they promoted. Why? It was because they acted outside the will of God. We will be blessed by God when we work within his will. Not to make a name for ourselves. Human effort is futile apart from the will of God.

Psalm 121:7 Unless the Lord builds the house the workman labor in vain. Whatever work it is it must be done to God’s glory.

At the tower of Babel God confused the language. Babel means to confuse. To talk in nonsense means you are babbling.   

God’s purpose continues. Pentecost opens a new chapter. It is the tower of Babel in reverse. The Holy Spirit comes to reach those separated. Draw back not for man’s glory but for God’s glory, unified.

Not one because of a city or a tower, but one in Christ. The great commission is to carry the Gospel to every creature.

What are you doing outside the will of God? Do you have self centered plans? Have you launched a project and forgotten God?     

Making your plans leads to frustration. Serving God according to his plan brings meaning joy and peace.

In the book Money for Ministries There is a stewardship testimony article from a corporate CEO who has been married 45 years. When he was first married he and his wife found out about a missionary who needed $100. All they had was $100 and that was earmarked to buy a refrigerator. They extended themselves and gave that money to meet the need.

Within a week they received a gift to pay for that refrigerator. This began a pilgrimage for them of grace giving. After 45 years from that time they pray extensively about how they will give $1 million per year to finance the Lord’s work.

Giving in Christ’s Spirit can be a great adventure. It can become a pilgrimage of Christian growth as we discover ways to maximize our giving.

I found it exciting to be creative in giving when I worked at Quaker Oats and they had a Triple Matching Gift program for an education institution. I found an educational institution that focused on the great Commission and every time I gave them $100 the matching gift fund gave $300 and there was $400 giving in educational training to further the Great Commission. As I was doing this I found a great joy in helping finance others in the Lord’s work. There is a joy in giving.

The grace of giving has a deep effect on the inner dynamics of your life. As believers in Christ we are under grace not the law. As New Testament believers we have a higher motivation than the law for giving. We have been saved by grace.

Grace giving requires a spiritual maturity. The Corinthians lacked that maturity. They were babes in Christ. They needed exhortation on their giving. Paul uses the example of the Macedonians to explain how God’s grace has a deep effect on the area of our giving.

2 Corinthians 8:1-7
1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Grace giving is generous. Paul uses the example of the Macedonian churches. Here was a group of believers in Macedonia. The grace of God was upon them and it produced a generous spirit. Surprisingly this is not a rich church. As a matter of fact they were in severe affliction and extreme poverty.

Don’t think grace giving is for the rich and famous. The widows mite (Luke 2:14) explodes that myth. Grace giving means in spite of adversity. It is done in the midst of economic difficulty. It involves extending ourselves beyond our abilities.

The Macedonian churches manifested the grace of God. When you receive the grace of God the proper response is grace giving. It is beyond our ability in the midst of adversity. It means generous giving.
When you give out of adversity, in affliction and beyond your ability you pour out God’s grace on a hurting world. These fist century Christians faced a great deal of adversity and through grace giving they rose above it.

Giving generously is evident of being led by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Christ lives though us that when Christian life is meaningful beyond compare.

We only give what God first gave to us. The very act of giving is a gift from God. The undeserved favor that God poured upon you in salvation is motivation for grace giving should result in generosity in giving, even beyond your ability.

Grace giving is joyful giving. This is a giving that has overflowing joy and is considered a privilege and results in more than is expected. Grace giving see the offering time as a privilege not a burden.
Give and it will be given unto you. This is not always material. There is the joy of being closer to Christ and having a deeper fellowship. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Grace giving is the result of being Spirit filled (Acts 4:31-35). Meet needs of all. We are to give willingly and not under compulsion. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) your inward attitude is crucial in how you give.

Grace giving is will, cheerful giving. Not a giving as a result of pressure of manipulation. Some work campaigns have pressure to give to make the department 100% givers. This kind of pressure is not fitting for Christian grace giving.

Grace giving is showing your love to God. Love isn’t just warm fuzzy thoughts or good intentions. Love transfers into action. Evidence of love is when we are willing to part with our property or anything that is valuable to us.

Giving cheerfully in love is the way Christ gives. Love is essential to grace giving. (1 Corinthians 13:3) If I give all I posses to the poor and have not love, I gain nothing.

Grace giving is sacrificial giving. The Macedonian Christians gave more than expected. The grace of God produces sacrificial giving. Grace giving means extending yourself. The deepest sacrifice will never equal the greatest giver of all time, Jesus Christ gave to us. Jesus went to the throne of God to death on a cross for your sake.

The Macedonians gave sacrificially. They first gave themselves to the Lord. Grace giving means you have fully given yourself to Christ, you are an instrument in his hand. All that you are, all that you have is laid on the altar at the disposal to the will of God.

Plan your giving. Grace giving is not impulse giving when the phone rings and someone pressures you to give.

Grace giving is the will of God. It is for those who seek the Lord and give by his direction and give generously, joyfully and sacrificially.

When you give to the Lord’s work your heart will be in the Lord’s work and in serving Christ. Once you experience God’s grace our response should be to serve Jesus Christ faithfully.

Abraham brought a tithe to Melchizedek hundreds of years before the law. Let’s look at the principle of tithing in another patriarch. Jacob vows to tithe. He gives ten percent of everything to God. It is the story of Jacobs Ladder.

Genesis 22:10-22
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

Before Jacob meets the Lord he is the epitome of the worlds system and a secular mindset. He is probably just like someone you know with a Godless lifestyle. We can easily identify with Jacob. His name literally means, grasps the heel or figuratively deceiver. Jacob is the second son born of Isaac and Rebecca’s twin sons. His brother is the rugged and hot tempered Esau.

As the secular man he demonstrated the selfish, me first attitude. It was the get ahead at any cost mindset. The me first attitude that will step on people to get up the ladder of success. It is the same thing you would find in the secular man today. The world is filled with this.

In his own selfish interest Jacob took advantage of his brother’s weakness. Sold him a bowl of pottage (bowl of stew). Esau sold his birthright. He enticed his brother to sell his birthright.

Later Jacob acts out the role of deceiver. He deceives his father Isaac when he is old and almost blind. He makes him think he is Esau and tricks his father into giving him the blessing he intended for Esau. He lies and takes the Lord’s name in vain to do it.

Up to this point there is no mention of God in the life of Jacob. No talk of his prayer life, nothing about worship or the altar of God. As a matter of fact, the only time Jacob up to this point of time has even mentioned God is to take the Lords name in vain. Jacob is the classic secular man. Like those without Christ that you and I know.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Jacob has done everything the worlds way. His stealing Esau’s blessing has Esau threatening to kill him. On the advice of his mother he flees. He heads to his original homeland to find a wife. He had everything going for him, but now he is empty and divided from his family.

His selfishness has brought him to the point where he has no possessions but the clothes on his back. He has no home, no security and is living like a fugitive. He is alone and homeless. He uses a stone for a pillow.

Jacob the secular man, whose life without God led him to desperation, reached a point where he needed the Lord. Often that is when God breaks through to a person. God spoke to Jacob through a dream. We call that dream Jacob’s ladder.

Jacob is down and out. He reached the bottom and that is when God broke through when he was a broken needy man. His life of selfish grabbing left him empty. But then Jacob met the Lord and his life was changed.

Genesis 28:12-13
12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

God himself stood at the top of the ladder. The gulf between secular man and Holy God was bridged by the grace of God. Jacob the secular man who was lonely and destitute experienced the grace of God. That lonely place was suddenly surrounded with angels. God was in that place.

In John 1:51
51He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Jesus uses the phrase, heavens opened. We are saved by grace through faith. Jesus is the only bridge, stairway or ladder where a sinful secular man can be brought into fellowship with the Holy and righteous God. Jacob met the Living God and he was transformed. Like a person today with faith in Jesus Christ.

Genesis 28:14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Now Jacob is a changed man. Transformed, Jacob receives the promises of God made to Abraham and Isaac. He is promised decedents, land, God with him and blessing and the coming Messiah 28:14b.

God addressed himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob is aware of God’s presence and his whole life is changed. From now on He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

When you find yourself in the pit of despair, stricken with grief and tragedy if you meet the Lord, if you are aware of the presence of the Lord your whole perspective will change. Jacob met the Lord and his whole life was redirected.

There is a new devotion. He made a vow, a pledge of faith to the Lord. We ought to respond when God by his grace redeems us. Now Jacob plans to honor God with faithfulness. He built an altar to God. The house of God is important to Jacob. Now he knows as you and I know as Christians, wherever he goes God goes with him. It is awesome. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Another result of Jacobs meeting the Lord. A vow to tithe. Here is the stewardship part of his meeting God. Our response to what God has done in our life impacts our stewardship. Jacob in response to God’s grace vows to tithe.

The secular, me first man has changed. He leaves his family a secular man with nothing. He is running for his life. That is what the selfish, me first grab what you can way of life did for Jacob.

Years later he leaves Haran with untold wealth, twelve children blessed at every turn. God did it. That’s what Jacob ladder did. God’s provision in Christ. (John 1:51)

The secular man who selfishly grabs for himself puts his wages in a bag with holes. But like Jacob the transformed know the blessing of God. Jacob no longer lives for himself, but for God that is the blessing. Jesus is the only mediator between man and God.

1 Timothy 2:5
5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

You feel like Jacob? He found God was there all along. Reach out to him by faith. Trust in Jesus Christ. Jacobs vow to tithe was a matter of his heart. It was out of devotion to God. Not part of the law. Let Christ have the complete devotion of your heart.

How good are you at recognizing greatness in people? In high school did you correctly guess the most likely to succeed? Like most of us you probably missed your guess at who would be the most likely to succeed. Don’t feel bad. Even Jesse could not conceive his son David would become a king. Any of his other sons he could imagine as a king, but not David. Later David became the greatest king of Israel.

Here is a question in recognizing greatness. Who was the greatest man of the Old Testament? If you look the answer might surprise you. It is Melchizedek. Wow and he is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament Genesis 14:18-20 and Psalms 110:4. We get a little more about this mysterious king found in Hebrews 5:1-11, 7:1-4. A study of his life also has some profound teaching for us to live by.

One Scottish preacher, Bill Freel said that if you grasp the significance of Melchizedek you have entered into a spiritual wonderland.

In Geneses 14 Melchizedek is observed historically. In Psalm 110 he is spoken of prophetically and in Hebrews 7 Melchizedek is applied doctrinally.

Here is a little background from Geneses 14. Abram is in a battle against four kings that captured his nephew Lot. Abram won the battle and rescued Lot, received the spoils of the victory of the battle.

He was met by Melchizedek the priest of the Most High God. This mysterious priest is also the King of Salem. A king and a priest. This is a unique combination to be a priest and a king. Abram gave a tithe, a tenth to this priest/king.

So far we still don’t know too much from the three verses in Genesis 14. But Jesus uses Psalm 110 to silence his critics, the Pharisees, recorded in Matthew 22:44. Whose son is the Messiah David? How could David call him Lord? The Messiah would be in the order of Melchizedek. This is an awesome prophecy.
Hebrews 7 lays out the doctrinal significance that I want us to look at. The principle of tithing precedes the law by hundreds of years. Abraham (Abram) paid tithes to the priest of the Most High God, not under the law.

Abraham the friend of God the father of faith, who believed God and it was credited as righteousness, tithed.

We find that Melchizedek is a type of Christ. God inspired the Bible. The significance of Melchizedek would be hinted at in Psalm 110 and expounded in Hebrews 7. Jesus is the Prophet, Priest and King. The Priesthood was determined by being a descendent or heir in the line of a priest. Both Moses and Aaron were descendents of Levi. The Old Testament priests must trace their heritage to Levi. Not Melchizedek.

Genealogy is significant in the priesthood, but not a word about it for Melchizedek. The left out genealogy is called the inspired omission. Hebrews 7:3 says Melchizedek was without beginning or end. The ironic thing is that Hebrews is a book asserting that Jesus is our high priest. Jesus can’t trace his linage to Aaron or even to Levi. He is from the tribe of Judah.

Jesus is a priest on the basis not of ancestry, but power Hebrews 7:16. There is so much in this Preist-King Melchizedek. Melchizedek means King and Tsedek means righteousness. He is the King of righteousness. He is the King of Salem. The word Salem means peace.

Melchizedek is the King of Peace. The prophesies of the coming Messiah often use the image of righteousness and peace. It is a fitting type of the Messiah to come, King of righteousness, King of Peace.
The writer of Hebrews never mentions that Melchizedek brought bread and wine. At the last supper these become symbolic of the body and blood of Christ.

Melchizedek is the Old Testament type of Christ. Abraham giving tithes to Melchizedek typified New Testament Christians giving tithes to Christ. Now symbolically even Levi, the great grandson of Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. Under the Mosaic Law the Levites received a tithe. The principle of the tithe precedes and transcends the ceremonial law.

Hebrews tells of the superior high priest in Jesus. In chapter 8 we have a better covenant. In chapter 9 we have a better sanctuary. In chapter 10 we have a better sacrifice.

It is better for us to bring tithes to Jesus Christ who is the eternal high priest. It is better than the tithes of the Old Covenant system. We are children of promise, spiritual heirs of Abraham. We are blessed to bring our tithes to the present day high priest of the Most High God, Jesus.

If the temporary priest received tithes Hebrews 7:8, then how much more the eternal priest receives them. Mechizedek is a type of Christ and Abraham a type of Christian tither. Here is the place of tithing in God’s plan. It is here before the law, “Abraham gave a tenth of all,” a tithe.

Tithing began before the law and continues after the law. Christians ought to tithe. The minimum standard for Christian giving is the tithe, one tenth. Hebrews 7 underscores that tithing is an eternal principle.
We should give our tithes to Jesus not out of law, but love. It is a moral principle.

Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

God will bless you when you give your tithe with the right motive. It is no wonder that the Macedonian Christians begged for the opportunity to give. (2 Corinthians 8:3) As we give God blesses us.

See also Jacob’s Ladder

Luke 12:42-48

I attended a Stewardship conference and noticed that it was like a revival for me. I wondered why? What does stewardship have to do with revival?

Heaven is going to be great, but we don’t go immediately when we come to Christ. We stay here to be totally available to God. We are here on earth that our life will count for Jesus Christ.

If that means we serve the Lord in our business, in ministry, living on a foreign field, or take a swallow, even being a martyr then we must do everything with our whole hearts to glorify God. Stewardship means dying to self and living for Christ.

That is also what revival is, so that is why the stewardship and revival are very similar. In stewardship we say, Lord my life is at your disposal, only give me your direction.

Stewardship should not be limited to the context of financial giving. Christian Stewardship should have an effect over all of our life. When stewardship is limited in understanding only to the financial realm then this can causes the problem of legalism and leads to a loss of joy in living for Christ. Yet, having said that, finances and giving are a major part of what stewardship is. It is just not all of what stewardship is.
The word “steward” is rooted in the idea of a house manager. It literally is one who is over the house, a house-sitter. When the owner was gone on a trip the steward was the one who managed the household and took care of the business affairs. The steward is one who is entrusted with an important responsibility.

Let’s look at the passage where Jesus used the anology of a household manager and brings out important lessons on the big picture of stewardship.

Luke 12:42-48
The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47″That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

The master put a manager or steward in charge of his whole estate including his servants. The master takes a long time in coming and the steward begins to mistreat the servants. There are wise stewards and there are foolish servants. The steward is to distribute food and meet needs.

The master comes when the manager does not expect it. Whom much is given much is expected.

In the Luke 16 Parable of the shrewd manager the foolish steward (manager) is accused of wasting the rich man’s possessions. He then collected debts. He would lose his job. Whoever is trusted with very little can be trusted with very much. You can see this principle applied over and over in every day situations.

There are three elements in Jesus Parables
Master: Owner of Estate
Manager: Accountable, entrusted by the master
Estate: oversight entrusted to manager in Masters absence

Interpreting thisparables theologically.

Master: God the Creator, it is God who owns all the worlds’ resources.

Steward: manager is man- created in God’s image who has been given dominion over the world.

Estate: all facets of life, the world, all creation, man was given dominion over the earth to rule over it.
This is why when we stress the importance of Christian giving; it should be done in the larger context of stewardship in the Broad basis. There is a challenge to the individual to be responsible with all areas of life.
Even as a church you are called to be faithful to what you are entrusted with. With your money, the gospel, the building and your community. You should be wise in giving to the Lord and not wasting the money you have.

A giving God expects a giving people. Every individual is responsible for how he manages every area of his personal life. You have only one life to live and you must live it well.

You can’t be a good steward using the Bibles standards, unless you are first giving to God. That is giving your tithe. But giving ten percent to the Lord first doesn’t mean you have fulfilled your duty as a steward.
You are a steward of Spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10), the gospel, paying taxes, voting, getting involved in moral issues, helping people who can’t help themselves.

You are a steward entrusted with the Gospel. God has chosen to use man as the steward of His estate, to expand the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the Gospel. The Great Commission is stewardship at its best.
The first key to stewardship is to know God and to know him intimately. Do you see the revival aspect of stewardship? You must know and love God and to desire to give to him. When you really love God it becomes a joy to give in all areas. Giving to God and to the Lords work is not a legal bondage tied around your neck. It is a privilege and a joy. Stewardship includes upkeep of your own body, the temple of God. In short, bringing glory to God.

We do not have our assets to accumulate wealth, but only to be used to further the kingdom of God. There must be vast expenditures to expand the kingdom of God. The money spent, since the time of the great commission to fulfill the great commission would be staggering. The same is true with the man hours given. Make every decision in light of the great commission. That is good stewardship.

Stewardship involves giving, but it involves giving up too. If we are going to give our finances, then there is another side of stewardship. It means giving up in other areas. It might mean driving a more economical car. It could mean living in a lower priced house. It might mean spending less on entertainment. It takes a willingness to make sacrifices.

Stewardship is a responsibility to live according to God’s will. Ultimately stewardship means dying to self and living to Christ. It means to dedicate yourself completely to Christ. When we grasp the big picture of stewardship we experience a joy in our life, a revival when we are totally committed to God as a truly good steward.

Paul uses the image of running a race as a picture of living the Christian life.

1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

I think that Paul was using the best illustration available to him at the time. He says “Run the race that is set before you”, because the Tour de France had not yet begun.

Here are some of the reasons that I believe the Tour of France better illustrates the Christian life than a Marathon or running race.

1. Stages– Life is better illustrated by the stages of the Tour de France. Some stages are suited for sprinters, some for time trailers, others for mountain climbers or the breakaway specialists. When you finish the stage that particular segment is over. You can’t change it you start the next stage with a fresh start. Life is more or less a series of stages. There is High School, College, first job and on and on. Everyone has a unique set of stages but they are stages. You may even rest between stages. A summer between High School and college or other breaks between the stages.

2. Unpredictable and Dangerous– A Tour de France better represents the dangers of life. In a stage race of 200 riders it is pretty certain that at least one of them will fall descending a mountain and be airlifted to the hospital. In a recent stage race a rider was found 60 meters down the mountain from his bicycle. We all know how uncertain life can be.

3. Teams– The Tour de France is not an individual sport, but a team sport. On a cycling team you have domestiques who are there to work for the win of their team leader. On a team the members have different roles. Some are sprinters, others climbers, time trial specialist and a team leader. We have a work team and a family team and our roles may differ on the work team or in the family. There is the breadwinner and the homemaker.

What do you think? Do you have any more reasons Tour de France would be better imagery of the Christian life?

Thanksgiving Bible readings for the month of November. Thank you Neill for sharing these!

Thankfulness and Praise

Thanksgiving:
1. Of Miriam (Exodus 15:21)
2. Of Deborah, after defeating the Canaanites (Judges 5)
3. Of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10)
4. The chorus when Solomon brought the ark of the covenant into the temple (2 Chronicles 5:13)

Examples of how people thanked God (there are many more):
1. Daniel (Daniel 2:23)
2. Jonah (Jonah 2:9)
3. Simeon (Luke 2:28)
4. Anna (Luke 2:38)
5. Paul (Acts 28:15)
Thanks should be offered in different circumstances!

1. Should be offered To God (Psalms 50:14)
2. Should be offered To Christ (1 Timothy 1:12)
3. Should be offered Through Christ (Romans 1:8; Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 13:15)
4. Should be offered In the name of Christ (Ephesians 5:20)
5. Should be offered On behalf of God’s servants (2 Corinthians 1:11)
6. Should be offered In private worship (Daniel 6:10)
7. Should be offered In public worship (Psalms 35:18)
8. Should be offered In everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
9. Should be offered Upon the completion of great undertakings (Nehemiah 12:31,40)
10. Should be offered Before receiving food ( John 6:11; Acts 27:35)
11. Should be offered Always (Ephesians 1:16;5:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:2)
12. Should be offered As the remembrance of God’s holiness (Psalms 30:4;97:12)
13. Should be offered For the goodness and mercy of God (Psalms 106:1;107:1;136:1-3)
14. Should be offered For the gift of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:15)
15. Should be offered For Christ’s power and reign (Revelations 11:17)
16. Should be offered For the reception and effectual working of the word of God in
others (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
17. Should be offered For deliverance from indwelling sin, through Christ (Romans 7:23-25)
18. Should be offered For victory over death and the grave (1 Corinthians 15:57)
19. Should be offered For wisdom and might (Daniel 2:23)
20. Should be offered For the triumph of the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:14)
21. Should be offered For the conversion of others (Romans 6:17)
22. Should be offered For faith exhibited by others (Romans 1:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:3)
23. Should be offered For love exhibited by others (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
24. Should be offered For the grace bestowed on
others (1 Corinthians 1:4; Philippians 1:3-5; Colossians 1:3-6)
25. Should be offered For the zeal exhibited by others (2 Corinthians 8:16)
26. Should be offered » For the nearness of God’s presence (Psalms 75:1)
27. Should be offered » For appointment to spiritual service (1 Timothy 1:12)
28. Should be offered » For willingness to offer our property for God’s service (1 Chronicles 29:6-14)
29. Should be offered » For the supply of our bodily needs (Romans 14:6,7; 1 Timothy 4:3,4)
30. Should be offered » For all people (1 Timothy 2:1)
31. Should be offered » For all things (2 Corinthians 9:11; Ephesians 5:20)