Toys & Candy

 

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Through the years when I am leaving a home or some gathering where children are present, I will announce my leaving by saying: “Bye now. I’m going to get some toys and candy!” When I’d say those words, everything would get quiet and all eyes would focus on me. All of the sudden, I’d become very popular. They would all want to go with me. Lots of times they would say, “I want to go.” I have presented some pretty big challenges for parents and some pretty great imaginations for the kids. Parents don’t appreciate it … but the kids often do. Can you imagine as a kid getting to go to the toy store or buy candy anytime you want? How exciting is that!

 On some special occasions, like birthdays and such, I have taken a child to a toy store or to Walmart and told them they can have everything they can carry in their arms in one trip to the register. If you want to have some fun and enjoy making a kid happy, try that sometime. Just beware it can get expensive in a hurry. One of my favorite memories was watching my niece, Shelby, Jeff and Teena’s oldest daughter, do this on one of her birthdays. The determined look on her face as she held it all together and finally made it to the register was priceless. She loaded herself up and we were cheering her on.

Children are so wonderful. There is no greater joy than the joy a child can bring to the world (3 John 1:4). Childhood is the most precious time of life, innocent, loving, vulnerable, trusting and so full of potential and possibilities. No wonder everyone is born a child … what a gift, and no wonder God continues to see all of us as His dear children (Ephesians 5:1). As I said, there is something so wonderful about children.

When Jesus was on the last long walk of His life, as He headed from the Galilee through Jericho and on towards Jerusalem for the last Passover, there were several families traveling the road along with Him and His disciples. Not too far North of Jericho, on the eastern side of the Jordan River (Mark 10:1), the group stopped to rest. The almost 100-mile journey took about 3 days to walk. A hundred miles on foot was tiring even for Jesus. This trip would end up at the cross. There were so many things Jesus still wanted to tell His disciples. All along the way people were asking questions (Mark 10:2) and Jesus was continually teaching them. Now it was time for a break, time to rest, and the disciples wanted to protect Jesus from being further bothered. We join this account in: 

Mark 10

13 ¶  Then families brought their little children to Jesus, that He might touch them; but the disciples scolded those who brought them.

14  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

15  “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

16  And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them. 

What makes children so special? We all know, it’s the innocence of their hearts. 

Children are inherently:

1.  Trusting

o   They believe what they are told.

o   Nothing is too fantastic for them.

o   Faith seems so easy and they aren’t always trying to disprove what they’ve learned.

o   This is why it is so important we teach them the truth that will last them a lifetime.

2.  Teachable

o   Soak up what they are taught.

o   Hungry to learn and willing to try.

o   They quickly learn from what they observe.

o   Train up a child in the way they should go and when they get old, they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

3.  Submissive

o   They are prone to obey and do what they are taught or told.

4.  Forgiving

o   Quick to forget.

o   Willing to re-engage.

5.  Loving

o   Nothing beats the hugs of a child.

o   We often forget how they first come to us.

6.  Dependent

o   They are satisfied with needing and appreciate help.

o   They stop complaining when you meet their needs.

o   They know from whom their dinner comes.

7.  Joyful

o   Have you heard the sounds at a playground during recess or a park in the summer, or in a class without a teacher?

o   The joyful sounds of children light the home with laughter.

o   Kids just want to have fun.

Matthew 18 NKJV

1 ¶  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

3  and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

4  “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5  “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

6  “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Childlike love, faith, joy, and forgiveness … that’s what God wants from us. 

Who is the greatest in the eyes of God? Whoever humbles themselves as a child. Challenge yourself this week to tap into your childlike faith, be teachable, gentle, loving, forgiving, yield yourself to God’s way, and let the joy of the Lord be your strength. After all, a Merry Heart does good like a medicine for whatever ails you (Proverbs 17:22).

Now: It’s Family Sunday … lets go get some toys and candy!

Seeds & Needs

 

Motivations of the Heart

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 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

How did God help? He gave ! Why did He give? Because He saw the need … What would motivate you to give?  Many people stop short of realizing how much it cost God to meet our need. They imagine it was easy. That is not the truth.

Sometimes there is just no other way that a need can be met unless someone gives what they have to meet that need. In fact, there are three basic biblical motivations for Christians to give. These three reasons are plainly detailed in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments.

I am going to teach these three reasons in such a way I hope they will be easy for us to remember. The three Bible reasons Believers are motivated to give are to:

1.   Meet the Need

2.   Sow a Seed

3.   Follow the Lead

First let’s talk about being motivated to ‘Meet the Need’.

Again, based on the first principle of salvation, God was so motivated by love that He looked down upon a world of lost humanity in need of a Savior and decided to do something about it. God realized that He had in His possession what it would take to meet man’s need. Sure, it would cost Him and cost Him greatly … nonetheless God was moved to give out of what He had to meet the need. And remember:

God did not give His extra Son, but His Only Son!

But the giving didn’t stop there. Truly God gave His Only Son but Mary was also moved by the leadership of the Holy Spirit to give her Firstborn!

You see, sometimes we could be tempted to think that God, Who sees all needs and loves all people, will surely do something to meet the needs of those who cannot help themselves. That is a correct assumption, but it does not go far enough into the equation. God will certainly meet real needs but, He will do it through some person who is also willing to give and meet that need. God works and even loves through others.

That’s what the scripture in 1 John means:

1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

This is exactly what Zacchaeus did in Luke 19:8. He was motivated by love to give and meet the needs of the poor. Only one chapter prior to this, in Luke 18, we find Jesus taking time to explain to His disciples why a different wealthy man refused to give anything to meet the needs of others. This man, Jesus explained, never came to know the true riches God was willing to give to him because He would not give to others. We cannot bypass people and rightly imagine we have somehow given to God. God gives to people, through people.

This speaks to one of life’s basic principles in that:

God will seldom continue to give to you what He cannot give through you.

A second Biblical motivation to give is to ‘Sow a Seed’.

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

Such was the case of the widow in 1 Kings 17. Also to note is the story of Isaac who sowed in the land of famine and in that same year received a hundredfold increase. You can read about his faith in Genesis 26.

Money behaves like seed. This is one of the laws of God.
As well, remember God loves a cheerful giver and:

2 Corinthians 9:6 He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

The third motivation to give is to: ‘Follow the Lead’.

The Apostle Paul provides several platforms for us to understand that it is scriptural for church leadership to request offerings for special projects which require funding from time to time. One of the accounts of such a request to give is found in 1 Corinthians 16.

The history leading to this moment shows Paul was much occupied with raising financial relief for the poor and persecuted Believers back in Jerusalem. He evidently received a commitment from the Corinth Church while he was with them in person, however, as of his writing his first letter to the Corinthian Church, they had not been forthcoming with their offerings. Pledges and intentions are great but there is nothing quite as helpful as someone who actually follows through.

It seems that the Churches in Macedonia and Galatia had already sent some relief and so Paul once again encourages the Believers in the Church at Rome and Corinth to do likewise. This would not be the last time Paul mentions this offering to the Corinthian congregation.

Now, after setting forth the Church doctrine, which he concluded with the close of Chapter 15, the Apostle Paul directs his attention to encouraging the Church to put a plan in place which would assist them in receiving this collection for the saints. Paul begins:

1 Corinthians 16
1 ¶ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.
4 But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.

Pleas from leadership which contain encouragements to give to a particular project or vision were not uncommon in Paul’s day and even in earlier times.

We see Moses making requests for the Children of Israel to bring their gold and silver to him so that the tabernacle in the wilderness could be constructed and furnished for worship. Listen to what Moses said when he needed money to do what he believed God told him to do.

Exodus 35
4 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying:
5 Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze…”

What were the results?

Exodus 35
21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD.

This offering was in direct response to Moses’ plea. Those who trusted Moses and believed he was hearing from God, were motivated to participate. Many hearts were stirred and everyone who was of a willing spirit followed Moses’ lead and brought the offerings he requested.

The response was so great that:

Exodus 36
6 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." And the people were restrained from bringing,
7 for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.

So, let me say it once again: The three major motivations to give are:

1. To meet the need

2. To sow a seed

3. To follow the lead

I hope this encourages you to connect your giving to God. I pray it motivates you to be a cheerful and liberal giver to God’s work on the earth.

May He give not only to you but also through you! Ask yourself: What would motivate me to give?