Internet Lesson 3 - God's Plan For The Financial Support of His Ministry

Tithes and offerings are discussed as God’s plan for the support of ministry efforts and ministry workers. However, in God’s financial plan, the Lord must always be the focus of the giving. The work and workers of ministry are His designated beneficiaries of the tangible gift. Emphasis is given to the fact that tithes and offerings as a pattern of giving to the Lord preceded Judaism as a religion and the Mosaic Law as a religious practice and still remains relevant for the Christian Church.
Reference Scripture:
Malachi 3:10 (Bring all the tithes)
Supporting Scriptures:
Leviticus 4 (sin offering)
Exodus 30: 11-16 (ransom offering)
Numbers 18:20-24 ( 1st tithe – ministry support)
Deuteronomy 14:22-26 (2nd tithe – pilgrimage)
Deuteronomy 26:12 & 14: 28-29 (3rd tithe – benevolence)
Malachi 3:8 (will a man rob God)
Exodus 25 (freewill offering – tabernacle)
2 Chronicles 7 ( freewill offering Solomon)
Hebrews 9:11 – 10:18 (Christ’ death all sufficient offering for our sins)
Genesis 14: 14 – 20 ( Abram’s tithe)
Genesis 28:10 – 22 ( Jacob’s tithe)
Matthew 23:23 (Jesus’ sanction of tithing)
Leviticus 27:30 & 32 (tithe belongs to God)
Deuteronomy 14:22 – 23 (so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God)
Numbers 18: 20 – 24 (Levites received no inheritance in the promised land)
Deuteronomy 14: 27 – 29 ( remember the Levites who have no inheritance)
Numbers 18: 8 -20 (offerings given to the Levites)
Matthew 25: 31 – 46 (Jesus’ priority on the less fortunate – sheep & goats)
1Corintians 9: 13 – 14 ( those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel)
2 Corinthians 9: 7 (cheerful giver)
2 Corinthians 9: 12 - 13 (Men will praise God for their obedience and sharing)

Click on the link to the Second Baptist Church of Wheaton website to review the full text of the lesson.

Don't study alone. Invite a family member or friend to join you! This is the worldwideweb. Invite someone from another state or another country!

Announcement - New Blog

This week my niece, Tamara, launched a new blog entitled "My Time To Deal With It". Through it Tamara will seek to minister to the hidden places, those secret places in our lives. God is using her to call us from the darkness into his marvelous light. I am creating a link from my blog site to hers. I encourage you to visit her site: http://kingdom-seekers.blogspot.com I believe you will be blessed.

The Journey - 03/22/2007

Praise God! The workbook was drafted using the "NIV" translation of scripture. I just received authorization for use of "NIV" text at no charge. I was fearful I would have to use multiple translations of scripture to avoid paying royalties. I really didn't want the choice of translation to be driven by financial factors and I didn't look forward to searching for alternate translations for each scriptural text. Now I avoid that task. Praise God Again!

There's more:

Rev. Dr. Chelliah Russelliah, President of Gilgal Gospel Mission and Indian Theological Seminary, has requested a donation of 50 copies of "More Than The Gift". Twenty-five copies to be given as graduation gifts to the 2007 graduating class and twenty-five copies to be placed in the library of the seminary. Please pray as God guides me how best to meet the request. Kinkos printing and binding costs are expensive. The most cost effective approach may be to burn PDF versions on CD's (some of you have seen the prototype). However, I don't know whether computers are readily available to the students and graduates at the seminary in India. I have no doubt that God has the answer. I simply need to seek Him.

I want you to expect the impossible regarding this project. This is a "God Thing", it's not about me. As we respond to God's leading, there are no limitations or boundaries to His activity and power. While,I am humbled by God's willingness to use "even me", I am not surprised that God is moving to accomplish His purposes. I expect even greater things to occur.

The Journey - 03/06/2007

Yesterday, someone from Bogota, Columbia spent time reviewing the Blog. That's exciting! Praise God! I believe this message is intended for the world and that as it goes forth it will accomplish what He intends. I understand that not everyone will see what I see or accept what I have received, but the message will create a conversation within the body that will be healthy for the church. I know what I've received up to this point, but the fullness of the revelation is still unfolding.

The essence of the message is this:

God is interested in more than just our gifts (offerings), he is interested in our relationship with Him. While the relationship is the priority, the gift itself matters because of what it reveals and what it accomplishes.

The bible studies help the readers:
1) discover the scripture's revelation of the priority of our relationship over the gift itself,
2) explore what our giving reveals about that relationship and
3) examine how our giving helps accomplish God's purposes and will.

The challenge is to respond to the message, that our giving may lead to a deeper, fuller relationship with the Lord.

I'm not pursuing my own will in this matter, I simply want to be obedient to my assignment and a faithful steward of my calling. Amen!

Come Blog with me. Don't just look, join the conversation. Invite others to do so.

Internet Lesson 2 - A Love Problem

This chapter discusses the traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day and then draws parallels to Christian practices in offertory giving. It suggests the premise that our relationship with God is a love affair and that giving is a fundamental expression of love. Trouble in our attitudes toward offertory giving reflects problems in our love relationship with God.
Reference Scripture:
John 3:16
Supporting Scriptures:
Mt. 20:28 (Jesus gave his life)
John 15: 13 (greatest love – give life for friend)
Ephesians 5:25 (husbands love wives like Christ who gave himself for the church)
Romans 8:32 (God gave his son for us)

Click on the link to the Second Baptist Church of Wheaton website to review the full text of the lesson.