"So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.'" (Mark 12:43, 44)
As I am writing this, the garbage truck came. I remember in a sociology class in the university the professor said that people would probably rather give up paying pastors than the garbage collector. While that sounds harsh, he did not mean it that way. He was simply stating the current condition in America---------- in the 1960s. What must it be now? Giving in Christendom is down across the board, and if you watch "Christian" television, you can see the effects of that. Asking, yes, even begging for money is on the increase. The old saying is not cliche. People will put their money, not where their mouth is, but where their heart is. Mouth is cheap; heart is "expensive." Where is your heart today?
You and I do pay for what we have to pay for and what we really want. Most of us will sacrifice much to get what we want. The woman in our text, however, gave to the Living Triune God, "all that she had, her whole livelihood." One might say, "How can that be?" I don't know, but she did. Jesus shows us here that, "all she had," she considered to be His. It is, you know. I still marvel how over the years our Lord Jesus Christ has provided for us. I still cannot figure out the "math" of it. It literally does not "add up" many times. A preacher once said that "if you give God too much, He can give you change." One Believing entrepreneur many years ago would give 90% of his income to Jesus Christ and His Church/Kingdom. When asked how he did it, he replied, "Well, God shovels it in and I shovel it out, and God has a bigger shovel."
Of course the Word of Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than receive," is not necessarily confined to money. "Consider Jesus," for a moment. He gave Himself to us. That is giving, "all [He] had, His whole 'livelihood.'" In order for you and me to, "enter the Kingdom," to become members of His Body, the Church, Jesus gave up His exclusive "rights" to the Kingdom, even "exclusive" Sonship so that you and I can be called, "the children of God." Jesus could have been selfish with His relationship with/in Father and the Holy Spirit, but, then again, no He couldn't; He is Jesus. He chose to share in the relationship with you and me.
Father, in Jesus' Name, may I, "....put in all [I] ha[ve]." Amen.
************************
* 2016 Berlin Mission, October 5-27
* More Developments on the Future of the EU--- Unfolding of prophetic events before our eyes. Read the story at: jhs58.blogspot.com
As I am writing this, the garbage truck came. I remember in a sociology class in the university the professor said that people would probably rather give up paying pastors than the garbage collector. While that sounds harsh, he did not mean it that way. He was simply stating the current condition in America---------- in the 1960s. What must it be now? Giving in Christendom is down across the board, and if you watch "Christian" television, you can see the effects of that. Asking, yes, even begging for money is on the increase. The old saying is not cliche. People will put their money, not where their mouth is, but where their heart is. Mouth is cheap; heart is "expensive." Where is your heart today?
You and I do pay for what we have to pay for and what we really want. Most of us will sacrifice much to get what we want. The woman in our text, however, gave to the Living Triune God, "all that she had, her whole livelihood." One might say, "How can that be?" I don't know, but she did. Jesus shows us here that, "all she had," she considered to be His. It is, you know. I still marvel how over the years our Lord Jesus Christ has provided for us. I still cannot figure out the "math" of it. It literally does not "add up" many times. A preacher once said that "if you give God too much, He can give you change." One Believing entrepreneur many years ago would give 90% of his income to Jesus Christ and His Church/Kingdom. When asked how he did it, he replied, "Well, God shovels it in and I shovel it out, and God has a bigger shovel."
Of course the Word of Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than receive," is not necessarily confined to money. "Consider Jesus," for a moment. He gave Himself to us. That is giving, "all [He] had, His whole 'livelihood.'" In order for you and me to, "enter the Kingdom," to become members of His Body, the Church, Jesus gave up His exclusive "rights" to the Kingdom, even "exclusive" Sonship so that you and I can be called, "the children of God." Jesus could have been selfish with His relationship with/in Father and the Holy Spirit, but, then again, no He couldn't; He is Jesus. He chose to share in the relationship with you and me.
Father, in Jesus' Name, may I, "....put in all [I] ha[ve]." Amen.
************************
* 2016 Berlin Mission, October 5-27
* More Developments on the Future of the EU--- Unfolding of prophetic events before our eyes. Read the story at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
