Strange and interesting Events from January 29 in history:
1845 – “The Raven” is published in the New York Evening Mirror, the first publication with the name of the author, Edgar Allan Poe. (…it flew off the shelves…)
1936 – The first inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame are announced.
1963 – The first inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame are announced.
Today’s Inspirational Quote: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
A Laugh for Today: The only reason people get lost in thought is because it’s unfamiliar territory.
Today’s Fuel4theFire: The announcement was made from the pulpit: “We will not be taking an offering today, we have so much money that we don’t know what to do with it.” This account is based on a true story.
While it’s generally not a problem these days, it was in the wilderness as they gathered material for the construction of the Tabernacle. “And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much” (Exodus 36:6-7).
Granted, it was a different animal; they were bringing materials to build the Tabernacle and the need was limited; but it still speaks of a willingness to give on the part of the people.
We have people who work hard for their money. Many have gone to school to gain a skill or learn a trade and followed that up with getting up every day and going to work. Others trained on the job and have been faithful to their employer and their family by putting in the hours and doing quality work. In exchange you pick up a paycheck.
We also have people who are frugal. They understand well the value of money and know that it doesn’t come easy and so they don’t spend it frivolously.
It says to me that giving is a powerful statement.
Think about it. We invest long hard hours; all the while looking ahead to payday; and then we give a substantial portion to the church even though we value money and have other needs and desires that we could be spending it on. It is a powerful statement.
It says that we believe what we say we believe. It establishes the fact that our faith has substance to it rather than just words. It proves that what we say truly represents the love for God and the trust in His Word that resides deep within our heart. Empty words undermine the faith concept. James said it well, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17).
While it may look like money that you put into the offering plate, in reality it is a piece of yourself. Your time, sweat, energy, and skill are the trade off you make for a paycheck; and Paul understood it too as he recounted the faithful giving of the Macedonians even though they were in poverty. “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves … And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5).
Giving of yourself is a powerful statement.
Do you have to give in order to be saved? That’s a good question … the answer is no. The thief on the cross next to Jesus never dropped anything in the offering plate. But on the other hand, I bet if somehow he found himself in church the next Sunday he would have given generously. Can you honestly say that God has your heart if He doesn’t have your wallet or your purse? If you do not give or you give grudgingly then you have yet to realize that giving is a powerful statement.
And that’s a little fuel4thefire.
And remember … I love you guys.
Tom




