During this season we’ve done something at CRCC that we’ve never done before – we’ve not TAKEN an offering by passing a plate during worship. Instead, we’ve asked people to leave their seats, stand on their feet and BRING IT – go to one of the offering stations around the room and place their gifts in the baskets. Getting UP to BRING IT has some Biblical backing for sure…
(Deuteronomy 16:16-17) Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.
Once we know that everything we have COMES from God, then it should not be so hard to give and bring back to Him all that we have.
David wanted to build a temple for the Ark of God – but God told him that would be done by his son, Solomon. David did challenge the people to give and did they ever “bring it” –
(1 Chronicles 22:14) "I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.
This today would be about $57 billion today! The blessing you’ve been given is a blessing you must bring to someone else… So prepare to come this week with something to BRING. As you place your offering in the baskets, step back and spend a moment to think… reflect… thank God for ALL YOUR BLESSINGS!
While you are down at the offering station, tell the Lord you are also bringing your WHOLE SELF to Him during this Christmas season… Here I am to worship, here I am to say that you’re my God!
Question: Which are you MOST like: selfish and stingy OR generous and giving?
What is it you tend to hold onto the most? What has God given to YOU that He might be impressing you to GIVE to someone else?
Steve Keyes
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