Habakkuk 2:1-6
1I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
5Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
Luke 15:1-7, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
One lost sheep out of a hundred. One sheep that is a part of God’s own that has somehow strayed away from the safety of the Shepherd’s care and has gone out into a hostile, deadly world because something out there has caught it’s attention and taken it’s eyes off of the Shepherd just a little too long. One lonely, hurting, lost sheep out of a hundred. But God will leave the 99 who dwell in safety and his whole focus shifts to finding that one little lost sheep. I’m so glad that I have a Great Shepherd that loves us that much!
When he is looking for that one lost sheep, the shepherd pursues a route which he would never think of pursuing if it were only for his own pleasure; his way is not selected for his own ends, but for the sake of the stray sheep. He takes a track up the hills and down into the valleys, far into a desert, or into some dark wood, simply because the sheep has gone that way, and he must follow it until he finds it. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as a matter of taste and pleasure, would never have been found among the publicans and sinners, nor among any of our guilty race: if he had consulted his own ease and comfort he would have consorted only with pure and holy angels, and the great Father above; but he was not thinking of himself, his heart was set upon the lost ones, and therefore he went where the lost sheep were; “for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The shepherd look over his little flock of 100 sheep but he can only count 99. He counts them again, and he notices that a certain one has gone: it may be a white-faced sheep with a black mark on its foot. The shepherd knows all about it, for “the Lord knoweth them that are his.” The shepherd has a picture of that wandering sheep in his mind’s eye, and now he thinks only a little of the ninety and nine who are feeding in the green pastures that he has found for them. Instead, his mind is in great turmoil about that one lost sheep. One idea possesses him and his whole purpose is changed as he thinks of the fact that “a sheep is lost!” This agitates his mind more and more—”a sheep is lost.” He is overcome with grief over that one little sheep. He cannot eat bread; he cannot return to his home; he cannot rest while one sheep is lost.
To a tender heart of love for his ship, this one lost sheep is a painful subject of thought. It is a sheep, and therefore utterly defenseless now that it has left its shepherd. If the wolf should spy it out, or the lion or the bear should come across its track, it would be torn in pieces in an instant. The shepherd asks his heart the question—”What will become of my sheep? Perhaps at this very moment a lion may be ready to spring upon it, and, if so, it cannot help itself!” A sheep is not prepared for fight, and its not fast enough to run for the swiftness of its enemy is great. These thoughts make the compassionate shepherd even more sad as he thinks again—”A sheep is lost, it is in great danger of a cruel death.” A sheep is of all creatures the most senseless. If we have lost a dog, it may find its way home again; possibly a horse might return to its master’s stable; but a sheep will wander on and on, in endless mazes lost unless I go and find it and bring it home again.”
So if one member of our assembly needs help and 99 members do not need help do you not help the one member, or do you forsake the one member because you find it is more important for the 99 who do not need help?
Apostle Charles
Www.cfacs.com
Matthew 22:21 Jesus said “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” Romans 13:1 “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God.”
Each one of us believe that we are donating to the church unto God, yet in fact we are using that as a means to not pay taxes and not giving to the government and because we want could be recognized in the assembly.
When we give we are not donating/tithing we are giving to the people of the assembly, the man of God, the woman of God, the pastor and minister, we are supporting the world of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the old testament it talks about tithing
Here’s the definition: A “tithe” is a tenth.
Now, when you hear the Church talk about “tithing,” they may be talking about giving in general, but they’re usually referring to donating a tenth of their income.
New Testament does not command Christians to tithe. When giving is referenced in the New Testament, Christians are commanded to give generously (2 Cor. 8–9), but they are not commanded to tithe.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), but sometimes just knowing it isn’t enough. We need our hearts to be moved. We need to hear stories and see examples. We need God’s Word, the Bible, to inspire us. We need to learn what God says about tithing in the Bible.
Note
O/T
Tithing is only 10% of annual increase.
Deuteronomy 14:22–23: You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always
However in
Proverbs 11:24–25: One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Measuring the amount you give to your assembly, to men and women of God will increase I thousand fold of the blessings that you receive from God.
You cannot measure what God tells you to do nor can you do with expectation of receiving.
You however should only do what God instructs you to do and wait on God.
Matthew 23:23: “Woe to you, teachers of the law…You give a tenth…But you have neglected the more important matters– justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
You should never give to impress others.
Matthew 6:1–4: Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Apostle Charles
Www.cfacs.com
