Lawrence DeMetrius

Lyrics

Lesson 69 of 77
Practical Giving Invokes Great Return
{See Lessons 19, 54, 60, 61, 62}
By Lawrence DeMetrius

Any service performed outside of love is done in vain, which includes giving. Apostle Paul writes,

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
[I Cor 13:3]

Let all your things be done with charity.
[I Cor 16:14]

Yahweh has established that those who give cheerfully empower themselves to do so continuously and be blessed in so doing. Apostle Paul writes,

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
[II Cor 9:7]

Apostle Paul gives a special mention of such benevolence, per The Church at Macedonia. Their example of financial giving was most profound, especially during early Christendom for several reasons, among which is generation of thanksgiving and glory unto THE LORD. The Lord Jesus said,

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[Mt 5:16]

Practical giving to support Ministries of Divine Iconoclasm is to be done according to one’s personal ability.




Apostle Paul writes,

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered a little had no lack <because he didn’t give away all he had>.
[II Cor 8:9, 12, 15]

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
[II Cor 9:6, 12]

Practical giving includes paying taxes that fund public administrations and services that aid the wellbeing of one’s community. Concerning the lawfulness of taxes, the Lord Jesus said,

Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
[Mt 22:21]

Apostle Paul writes,

For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they <civil workers> are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear <respect> to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
Owe no man anything, but love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law <the Law of Love>.
[Rm 13:6-8]




In regard to tithes and offerings as understood prior to Christ’s Passion, there is much debate. What is clear is that the initial purpose for tithes and general offerings, were to support the servants and services of the Temples of Yahweh. They were also to support the storehouse of goods for those who need, like widows and orphans. In these times, giving a certain percentage of one’s increase was a requirement of Yahweh worshipers, and was to be carried out until Christ completed His work at Calvary. The Old Testament notes,

And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.
And if a man will at all redeem out of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part therefore.
And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he changes it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.
[Lev 27:30-34]

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all THY commandments which THOU hast commanded ME: I have not transgressed THY commandments, neither have I forgotten them:
[Deut 26:12, 13]

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed ME. But ye say, wherein have we robbed THEE? In tithes and offerings.
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed ME, even this whole nation <Israel>.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in MINE house, and prove ME now therewith, saith THE LORD OF HOSTS, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground: neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD OF HOSTS.
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD OF HOSTS.
[Mal 3:8-12]
Prior to His Passion, the Lord Jesus said concerning tithing per His dialogue with an unrighteous heart,

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matter of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
[Mt 23:23]

It has always been that when one gives as Yahweh instructs them to, they should expect to have and maintain financial stability and benefits thereof. Apostle Paul writes,

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
[II Cor 9:8]

It is divine rule that when one gives sparingly, they are to reap sparingly, and when one gives abundantly, they are to reap abundantly. The Lord Jesus said,

Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
[Lk 6:38]

At one time, practical giving was so vital to the Christian Movement, that those who failed to do so as vowed to THE LORD, invoked unfortunate consequence upon themselves, even death. Ananias and his wife Sapphira were exemplary of this per Apostle Luke who writes,

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
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.
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?
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 me, but unto God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
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.
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.
[Acts 5:1-10]

As it relates to Ministries of Divine Iconoclasm, money serves as a weapon of spiritual warfare. Paired with divine wisdom, it is a defense and only becomes a thing of avarice when desired more than THE LORD. King Solomon writes,

For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
[Eccl 7:12]

Apostle Paul writes,

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
[I Tim 6:9, 10]

The Lord Jesus said,

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
[Mt 6:24]
Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: Then who’s shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
[Lk 12:15, 20, 21]

The Lord Jesus assures that practical giving in worship of Yahweh, renders a 100 % return with eternal life. He said,

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
[Mt 19:29]

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