Taking It to Work:
Are you a thief? Probably not, so you may have skipped over Eph 4:28. It starts out with the fact that we should not steal, but be involved in honest work. It is the last part that is of interest. Why does the scripture say that we should be involved in honest work? It wasn’t to prosper us. It wasn’t to advance our kingdom or His. It wasn’t even to give to the church. It was so that we had something to share with the poor.
Now in our culture, that seems to be the last reason we would show up to work. We want to put food on the table, pay for the rent or mortgage, and send our kids to good schools. There is nothing wrong with any those things, but they are apparently secondary in God’s economy. He says we should work to share with the poor. It’s usually just a small percentage of what we earn, and the biblical term for that type of giving is, “almsgiving”.
This giving of alms is worry-free because in other areas of scripture we are taught that He is our provider, and the more generous we are to others, the more generous He is with us. I wish I could have included all the scriptures that emphasize that; there are many.
It is a fact, we Christians still work for the paycheck, but that should not be the end for a child of God. We are called to be givers, and to have faith in God that our giving will not leave us in want. That is a false fear. The food on our table, last years vacation, the roof over our heads, our bank account, are all because we have a faithful provider in our lives.
Scripture is clear . . . God loves a generous heart, and He takes care of us when we take care of others. He has set-up a system that flows His blessing to others through us. Make sure you’re not hindering the flow, and let His Word work through you, today!
Proverbs 19:17 (ESV) – Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord and he will repay him for his deed.
2Cor 9:11 (ESV) – You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Eph 4:28 (ESV) – Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Luke 6:38 (ESV) – Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Listening to the Holy Spirit:
My children feed My children. It is of My hand through your own, that My Kingdom is made known. I have chosen that by your work, My hand moves. The ability by My hand, but by yours, the decision to do so. I do not rule as earthly kings, for the Kingdom of God is the greater. When I was with you, My kingship was limited as men, but in My Spirit greater works are done through the children of the Kingdom. You are My child, and your hand is as My own. When you give My Name is given glory, but when withheld, my storehouse grows empty. Your works of generosity bring blessing, and without, there flows little to those in need, those who may later bring the blessing. Mighty is My power, but I chose you as My instrument of blessing. Give as I have given to you. Your work and its provision is not without aid unseen. Work that you can be generous, for in generosity is the greater reward of work.
