Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
Nov. 21, 2011

“Honor…Give…Receive!”
“Honor God with everything you own; give Him the first and the best…Your barns will burst. Your wine vats will brim over…" – Proverbs 3:9, 10 (The Message)

There are a couple of ways to make this happen. The first that comes to mind is simply this – Give God your absolute best in service to Him. Give Him the best of your time – the best of your efforts – the best of your worship. I don’t understand how it is that so many think that God and HIS church deserve less than that! But, consider another avenue here. One that is somewhat more visible to people around us…and one that will make a difference in those ones around us. Give your best to life!
Have you ever been to one of those events where candles are distributed to everyone, and then one person lights his candle and reaches out to the person nearest to him and lights his candle? Then everyone is asked to do the same, continuing to light the candle of the person to his left and right. In a matter of minutes, the entire place is aglow with candlelight.
The amazing thing is not that a darkened room can be filled with light that begins with one candle. Rather, the amazing thing is that giving away a flame does not diminish the light that remains with the original candle. As long as there is candle wax and a burning wick, the original flame will continue to burn and give light to darkened space.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Was that the end of the story? No. In Matthew 5:14 Jesus said to the disciples, “You are the light of the world.” And he went on to say, “People don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lamp-stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house” (v. 15). Jesus concluded, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (v. 16).

Was this a teaching on personal evangelism? Of course. But there is more to this story. And the hidden truth behind the story is the principle of generosity. Jesus was not teaching about tithing; he was teaching about being generous—giving away a portion of that which we receive. An old Chinese proverb teaches that happiness never decreases by being shared. The Bible is anything but silent about giving and receiving.

· “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners—therefore to their hurt” (Ecclesiastes 5:13).

· “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee” (Deuteronomy 16:17).

· “Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

· “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

· “Give, and gifts shall be bestowed on you. Full measure, pressed, shaken down, and running over, shall they pour into your laps; for with the same measure that you use they shall measure to you in return.” (Luke 6:38 Weymouth Translation).,br />
The secular world has its own principles of securing one’s wealth, which go something like this:
“Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.”
“The way to wealth depends on just two words, industry and frugality.
” “Save, and your wealth will multiply with compound interest.”
“What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is negotiable.”
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
Jesus taught a principle unknown to world economists today. It is recorded in Matthew 6:19, 20):
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

And how can we accomplish this eternal treasure? By being generous to others. By giving a portion of our treasure away. And there’s a bonus reward: People will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.
Pastor J. T. Carnell