GOD DESERVES BETTER!
The following account has appeared in countless bulletins, including ours.
It’s worth rereading.
Paul Harvey told the story of a man who was preparing for Thanksgiving. While searching through his freezer, he came across a small turkey. Examining it, he was stunned to find that the turkey had been frozen 20 years! Not certain if it was safe to eat, the man called the Butterball Turkey Company to inquire. A customer service agent replied: “As long as the turkey has remained frozen at zero degrees or less, it is probably edible.” In all honesty, however, it…may taste like cardboard.” “That’s okay”, the man responded. “I needed something to donate to the church, anyway!”
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Although humorous, this story depicts a growing problem in the church – the tendency to give God the “leftovers”. This is noticeably true when it comes to monetary contributions. In many congregations, 55% of the members give 5 percent (or less) of their gross income to the Lord. (Sad to say, a large percentage of Catholics, along with members of various denominations, give twice that amount.)
The temptation to give God the “scraps” also carries over into other areas. For example, from the 1940’s through the 1970’s, approximately 65% of Christians attended every service, including Bible classes. Today, only about 40% do so, and that number is declining. Moreover, FEWER members are doing MORE of the work of the church. Surveys indicate that only 1 in 7 Christians is actively involved in a work of the church weekly. Although most Christians are physically able to assist in some aspect of the Lord's work, the majority only serves sporadically.
Not only do the paltry contributions of some Christians hamper the church, they essentially insult our heavenly Father. He has given more to us than we can imagine – and has an eternal reward awaiting us. He deserves better. Don't make God settle for leftovers. Give Him your best, and keep the “scraps” to yourself.
"Give to the LORD the glory DUE His name; BRING AN OFFERING, and come into His courts." (Psa. 96:8)
"HONOR the Lord with your POSSESSIONS, and with the FIRSTFRUITS of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine." (Prov. 3:9-10)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
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