james_krotov ([info]james_krotov) wrote,
@ 2007-05-26 11:42:00
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God's Count
To be human means to do a lot of things which are absolutely superfluous, unnecessary for survival. To be a believer means to do a lot of things which exceed a norm. For example, the fast, although it is a reduction in weight of food is the increasing in behavior.

All unusual jests, rites, words which are intrinsically typical for religious behaviour, are unnecessary and can be eliminated. Nowadays they are really often eliminated even by sincere believers. ("Sincere" is the opposite to "true" in this context.)

The reason why superfluous is necessary lies in the one strange human quality. From time to time everyone had experienced in the shop problems with being paid back. May be some day credit cards will eliminate this problem totally, but here in Moscow I very often receive lesser money back that I was supposed to receive. The ladies at the cash register never make a mystake in the opposite direction: only lesser, never more.

God is a customer, and I always tend to give Him lesser. The only quick way to heal the situation is to give Him always more that I am sure I am obliged to. To pour into a lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

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How Should We Then Give?
[info]ununumsint
2007-05-26 07:55 pm UTC (link)
How Should We Then Give?
"Give a dollar to God and you'll get a hundred dollars back."
"A fool is born every minute,"


You’ve written an ambiguous post trying to compare the material ( the society of consumers) and spiritual ( the society of consumers) side of human beings.
After this cash lady I can concentrate only on the talk about money and how to give it)))
Ps: But you speak surely about a pray. Right?


Basing it on Luke 16:8 and 9 "the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light."
However people like this are wiser in the use of their money , cause’ they are not trusting in God…

People have always something better to do, something that will profit them, more or less. Do it as soon as possible: no delay! No putting off from day to day, or from hour to hour! Never leave anything till tomorrow, which you can do today. And do it as well as possible.
“Give all you have to God”

But How?
By employing all on ourself? our household? the household of faith? and all mankind, in such a manner, that we may give a good account of our stewardship?

Notice, we're not talking about "how much" we should give, but "how" we should give. Getting caught up in the "how much" often gets reduced to "how little I can give and still get points with God."
1. How should we give? We should give intentionally…
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:7)

The church has often fallen in line and made use of the bad tactics. Church utilizes lesser motives such as guilt, fear and sympathy, often trying to get people to give more money by appealing to their emotions.
In II Corinthians 8:5 Paul applauded the members of the Macedonian churches because "they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will." Giving money must never get ahead of giving of ourselves.
By the way, using a farming analogy, intentionality means placing good seed in good ground under good conditions. That means we don't play the lottery hoping for winnings which we can then give to the Lord; we don't throw seed to the wind by responding to every tear jerking story or heart wrenching picture flashed before our eyes on screen or magazine. Does all these mean that we do this intentional giving with regularity, as Paul says, "on the first day of the week."
2 "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)
God loves a cheerful giver, is the word from which comes our word, "hilariously." In other words, give at least with a smile on your face, rather than with the attitude, "Oh, this is so hard, what a burden it is to give."

3 How should we give? We should give confidently .
To look at it from the other side, we should not be worried or insecure about what will happen to the money we have given. At the beginning of the church (Acts 6), the Apostles wisely coached the church to choose trustworthy men to administer the funds that were being received.
In our culture, where money is power, there is the temptation to view our offerings in the same way the world views its investments.

4 How should we give? We should give selfishly.
"Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can."
"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." (Luke 6:38)


We should give intentionally.
We should give cheerfully.
We should give confidently.
We should give selfishly.


DARIA






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Re: How Should We Then Give?
[info]james_krotov
2007-05-26 08:05 pm UTC (link)
Oh!... No, I meant much more simple things, not money, but general idea of overscrupulousness. To be a gentleman in Christianity. To give more than I am supposed to give. As concerns feelings, I think that "how" is not very important. I enjoy any money which are given to me, whatever feeling has the giver. ;-) Or $-)))

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Re: How Should We Then Give?
[info]abkde
2007-05-27 08:04 am UTC (link)
))))))))))))
Thanx now I understand your idea)!

On this day we celebrate the birthday of churches and ponder what it means to be our church. In a world filled with differences help us God to recognize our common source in Him, Creator of all. When we would shutter ourselves against His energy, blow through us and change us as you blew through the crowd in Jerusalem, opening our minds and hearts...



Congratulate you, father James!
Daria


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