Nehemiah 10:31-34; Malachi 3:6-12 – Giving
There is one area of the life of the Christian where he often feels that nobody else has the authority to enquire into or make demand on, and that is the area of his finances! It is extremely significant that the covenant made by Nehemiah dealt very robustly with this often difficult and sensitive issue. The Bible is not shy in addressing the issue of how the child of God should use his finances, and there are several principles that are important to bear in mind:
1. Everything we have belongs to God – Psalm 50:10 tells us that the ‘cattle on a thousand hills belong to the Lord’. He is the creator and sustainer of all things that are in the world, and we have nothing that He has not given us.
2. The people of God have a responsibility to maintain the ministry of the church 1 Tim. 5:17,18. Right from the earliest days there were people in Israel who were set aside from the normal duties of life, so that they could dedicate themselves to the service of God, and be supported by the rest of the covenant community.
3. To fail to provide for the organisation of the worship of the covenant people was seen as robbing God Malachi 3:8-10. God in his infinite mercy and grace provided a system of sacrifices and ordinances for His people in the Old Testament by means of which the people could have access to God, and failure to maintain it through lack of giving was to rob the Almighty God. In the times of the New Testament, pastors and teachers were provided so that the gospel of free and sovereign grace could be proclaimed, and the people of God built up and edified thought the preaching of the Word. This is why it was so important that the aspect of giving was included in the terms of the covenant.
Questions
- To whom does everything belong?
- What does God command us to do with our money?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks for all God has given you.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.