"Obey then that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch over your souls, as they that must give account, that they do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)
"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on that day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless." (Philippians 2:14-16 NLT)
Most all of us know what it's like to feel discouraged about failing to do something that you feel God has given you to do; even though we might try, we will sometimes give up, thinking that it is too much; as if there is just no way we can work it into our busy lives. Believe me, I have known what it's like, having wished that I did what I felt God told me to do; instead, I found an excuse, like providing for my family, or making my business work, in order to pay the bills.
All that said, I must not be discouraged about that which I cannot change or do over! Doing so is not good; nothing is good about feeling sorry for not doing what you thought you should have done. But if you really want to know, there are several ways that we can serve, without having to give up on our life of family, business, and whatever else is keeping us busy.
We must be faithful in giving our tithes and offerings! Most of us don't really know, but there are only 5-10% of those in churches who actually tithe 10% of their income to their church. That is not an easy thing for a pastor to share about, because those who don't or won't give at least 10% will feel offended if the subject even comes up.
Don't doubt me on this, because I was once in charge of counting the offering and doing the banking; it is pretty easy to see who pays a tithe and who does not! That said, we should all be willing to give what we can; it is not only Biblical, but it is the caring thing to do. You would be surprised to know how many senior Pastors actually have to work some sort of secular job, just to feed their own families.
What a difference it would make if the church had enough to spare and do things for their towns and families! What a difference it would be to have everyone giving a tithe; think of all the different things that could be offered and provided for the poor and the needy, instead of them having to depend upon the government; who will just keep them, shall we say, dependent and needy.
All that said, I seriously doubt anything will change. Those who don't give, won't, because it is all about money! More than you know, God really does bless those who give; giving is also being a servant...
""I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return when we have never gone away?' "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies."" (Malachi 3:6-11 NLT)
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