Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
NKJV
God's Word not only tells us what is wrong but how to make it right.
Coveting is a sin without action. It is a disposition of the heart often expressed in motive. When you want something that you should not have, that is coveting. Unchecked coveting will manage your actions and your reactions when you receive truth. Tithing is a great example. Your tithe does not belong to you... even before you write the check. First fruits belong to God before you have even earned them... even during weak economic times. Spurgeon wrote, "It is the teaching of Scripture that the Lord enriches the liberal and leaves the miserly to find out that withholding tendeth to poverty." Stingy Christians do not see the overflowing bounty that God has for them, but God blesses those who place their trust in Him.
Psalm 18:30
As for God, His way is perfect;
The Word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
NKJV
That is the truth. Are you geared toward action or reaction? You will not hear about tithing from me often except when there is scriptural application. God's Word not only tells us what is wrong, but how to make it right. When you take your car to the garage for repairs, the mechanic will tell you what is wrong and what is needed to fix it. That's not being closed-minded... that's recognizing the truth. The Bible does just that, but for people. Every time you study the Bible the Bible studies you.
Dear Father,
Thank You for the truth of Your Word. Examine my heart. Show me Your truth and reveal in me Your ways. Please bless me with opportunities to bless others. In Jesus' name, amen
Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee
Senior Pastor
Calvary Chapel of the Triad
reachthetriad.com
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Spurgeon's October 26 morning devotion
"Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house."-Haggai 1:9.
Churlish souls stint their contributions to the ministry and missionary operations, and call such saving good economy; little do they dream that they are thus impoverishing themselves. Their excuse is that they must care for their own families, and they forget that to neglect the house of God is the sure way to bring ruin upon their own houses. Our God has a method in providence by which He can succeed our endeavours beyond our expectation, or can defeat our plans to our confusion and dismay; by a turn of His hand He can steer our vessel in a profitable channel, or run it aground in poverty and bankruptcy.
It is the teaching of Scripture that the Lord enriches the liberal and leaves the miserly to find out that withholding tendeth to poverty. In a very wide sphere of observation, I have noticed that the most generous Christians of my acquaintance have been always the most happy, and almost invariably the most prosperous. I have seen the liberal giver rise to wealth of which he never dreamed; and I have as often seen the mean, ungenerous churl descend to poverty by the very parsimony by which he thought to rise. Men trust good stewards with larger and larger sums, and so it frequently is with the Lord; He gives by cartloads to those who give by bushels.
Where wealth is not bestowed the Lord makes the little much by the contentment which the sanctified heart feels in a portion of which the tithe has been dedicated to the Lord. Selfishness looks first at home, but godliness seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, yet in the long run selfishness is loss, and godliness is great gain. It needs faith to act towards our God with an open hand, but surely He deserves it of us; and all that we can do is a very poor acknowledgment of our amazing indebtedness to His goodness.
- C.H. Spurgeon
